YuGiOh! Delta: Filler Collection
by Rebster6
Summary: This story serves as a collection of every filler duel that we write. In these duels, there will be old Decks / archetypes that we feel never got enough time to shine, plus cards and archetypes created by both us and other people that we feel deserve their time in the spotlight. Enjoy.
1. Prelude

Katie led them into the hospital.

Entering a hospital, even when you're only there to visit someone, is never a pleasant experience. You never know what injuries or illnesses will be on display by the people in the waiting room. It could be a simple plastered wrist or a common cold, or it could be something far more serious.

Thankfully, today the waiting room seemed to be mostly empty today. Better still, there was no-one queuing at the admissions desk, so the five kids were able to go straight up to the admission nurse.

"Good morning," the nurse said cheerfully. "How can I help you today?"

"Hello," Katie said. "We're here to visit a patient. Her name's Esta Maxwell, and she's in room ninety-four."

"Of course, just a moment." The nurse started typing on her computer. "Are you family?"

"No, we're school friends." James said, taking over from his girlfriend. "We've visited her a few times before."

The nurse stopped typing and looked at the screen for a few seconds, then back at them. "I'm very sorry, but her family has explicitly requested that no-one is allowed to visit Esta unless a family member is present and gives permission."

"Isn't her brother there? Keane Maxwell?" Katie asked. "He usually never leaves her side if he can help it."

The nurse shook her head. "Esta's older brother has gone to work for the day. No family members are currently with her, so I'm afraid I can't allow you to see her. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience."

Katie sighed. "That's ok. But there are some other patients that we wanted to see. Can you help us with them too?"

"Certainly, dear," the nurse smiled. "What're their names?"

Katie stepped to one side to allow best friends Dan and Leah to step up to the desk. Dan spoke first. "We'd also like to see a boy called Harrison Carter and a girl called Andrea Reeves."

"We're friends of theirs." Leah added. "They were due to have a psychological examination today."

Once again the nurse tapped away on her computer. This time when she looked up, she was smiling. "Ah yes. Andrea Reeves has just finished her examination. Harrison Carter is still in the middle of his, but if you were to visit Andrea first, then Harrison will most likely be finished by the time you're done."

"That's perfect. Thank you." Dan said.

"Of course dear," the receptionist replied. "Please follow Nurse Roberts. She'll take you to where they're staying." Another bored-looking nurse stood up and motioned for them to follow. She led them through the hospital and up a single flight of stairs to a first floor corridor. It was here that she left them.

"Just follow the hallway all the way to the end; she's in room fifteen." The nurse muttered, chewing gum the whole time. "You can't miss it." And just like that she left, clearly eager to get back to her daily routine of intense boredom.

The kids headed down the corridor and found room fifteen with ease, just like the nurse had said. Matt knocked, and almost instantly, the reply "Come in" was heard from inside. The five of them filed inside.

Compared to Esta's room, this one was quite underwhelming. It was a small room with a window, a bed, and little else - none of the fancy equipment and intensive care machinery that surrounded Esta every hour of every day. A girl was sitting on the bed, and like the nurse, she looked bored out of her skull. She had been reading a book, but she put it down the moment she saw that she had visitors. "Hey everyone!" She said enthusiastically. "How've you all been?"

Andrea was a very happy, very cheerful person, but her story wasn't a pleasant one. A few weeks ago she had dueled against a man named Skyler. Like the Deltas, Skyler was a Number hunter. He had defeated her and extracted her Number, but he hadn't kept it for long, as Dan had then proceeded to defeat him and take Andrea's Number back. Unfortunately, the extraction process had caused severe damage to Andrea's psyche. She was now terrified of anything related to duelling or Duel Monsters itself. Regular therapy and counselling had helped her immensely, but the psychological damage ran too deep to be completely cured – a person only had to mention duelling and she would start to panic and hyperventilate.

This meant that the five kids had to be extremely careful about what they said around her. It certainly didn't make the conversation very easy.

"Hey there, Andrea!" Katie grinned. They all took turns hugging her, then sat down in chairs placed around her bed for just such an occasion. "So how've you been doing?"

"Pretty well," she replied. "I'll be out of the hospital soon, but I have to keep coming back for counselling sessions."

Vaguely, Matt wondered how much of her ordeal Andrea remembered. It was certainly an interesting thought, but he didn't dare ask her. He might accidentally stir up memories best left forgotten.

"Honestly, I would've thought you'd have been let out by now," Dan was saying. "Your physical injuries weren't that bad."

She shrugged. "Apparently I've got some nerve damage in my wrist or something," she said. "I just can't wait to get out of here and back to school! There's nothing to do here. I'm so bored!" She then looked at each of them in turn. "Anyway, come on then. I want to hear what you've been up to these last few days."

Leah was the first to speak. "Well, yesterday Dan tried to bake us an apple pie for lunch-"

"And we use the loosest possible definition of the term bake." James cut in. "And pie."

"Hey, my pie was a work of art. It was perfect." Dan said indignantly. The others looked at him sceptically. "What?"

Leah giggled. "Dan... you covered five whole apples with breadcrumbs. That doesn't constitute an apple pie." Dan started to argue back, then sat back in his chair and folded his arms with a huff.

Andrea giggled. "Oh, you guys do make me laugh," she said happily.

"Oh, you should've seen him yesterday," James laughed. "Right after we got back from duel practise, he tried to cook a-" he stopped there. His eyes widened in shock as he realised what he'd just said. He had mentioned the unmentionable. Katie clapped her hand over his mouth to stop him from saying anything else, but the damage had already been done.

Andrea's eyes had widened, her pupils visibly dilated, a look of pure terror on her face. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped herself into a tight ball, shaking and gasping for air. The Deltas stood up and moved away from her bed in shock as two doctors and three nurses hurried into the room. "I'm afraid..." one of the nurses said to them, "...that visiting time might be over for you."

James bowed his head in shame. "Sorry."

The nurse smiled. "It's ok. It's an easy mistake to make, but we have to calm her down now. We'll give her a shot, but that'll knock her out for a couple of hours."

Matt took over. "That's not a problem, ma'am, we'll leave now. Thank you for your help." The nurse nodded, but couldn't talk any longer because the doctors needed to start the procedure. The five kids left the room to stay out of the way.

With Andrea asleep and Harrison still in his counselling session, the Deltas were at a bit of a loss of what to do now. They briefly entertained the idea of going to the shops, but the mood was gloomy after seeing Andrea's state, so they were pretty much resigned to going back to their apartment. Fortunately, Matt's bleeping D-Gazer stopped them. He fished it out of his bag and answered. "Hello?"

It was the Professor. It was always the Professor.

"Hello my children." Professor Usur said. He seemed to be a lot more jovial than usual. "We're just had word from our tracking team - looks like you're all going to work again."

Matt sighed. "Alright, send us the coordinates and we'll get searching right aw-"

"Please let me finish, Matthew." The Professor said, suddenly irritable. "As I was about to say, there are two signals, both emanating from similar distances to the North and to the West of your current location."

"Two Numbers?" Matt queried. The other Deltas, listening to the conversation, perked up at the mention of multiple Numbers.

"Indeed." Usur replied. "In this scenario, I strongly recommend that you split into two groups to hunt the Numbers more quickly, rather than sticking together."

"I agree, sir," Matt said, though he actually didn't like the idea at all.

Once again, the Professor seemed cheery. "Excellent. Well then, I'll leave it to you, shall I?" Without waiting for a response, he ended the call.

Matt removed his D-Gazer and turned to the others. "Well, you heard right. Looks like we've got two Numbers to deal with, and the Professor suggested that we split into teams to look for them." Nobody said anything, but then no-one needed to. They all knew that the couple, James and Katie, wouldn't be separated. They also knew that closest-of-friends Leah and Dan would stay together. That just left the question of who Matt was going with.

Matt knew he was about to make a foolish decision. The most logical choice would be to go with James and Katie. James wasn't much of a duelist, so by going with them, he would ensure that there would be at least two competent duelists in each group. But still, there was something in the other group that was strange, something he wanted to keep an eye on...

"I'll go with Dan and Leah." Matt said. If the others doubted his decision, they didn't show it. That alone spoke volumes about their respect for Matt and his leadership skills. "Alright, so we know our teams. We shouldn't waste any time: the Numbers are only about a fifteen minutes' walk from here, but they could move on at any time." That was all he needed to say. The five of them turned and walked briskly towards the stairs again. They couldn't run whilst in a hospital, but they walked as fast as they dared down the stairs, through the double doors (ignoring the receptionist's quizzical look) and out into the car park. Once outside, they said a hasty farewell to each other before splitting into groups and jogging off in two directions.

"Hey, Katie," James said the moment they were out of hearing distance.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You know that it's probably going to be you who duels this Number holder, right?" James panted, already struggling to keep up with his athletically fit girlfriend.

She laughed, not breaking her stride. "Of course. You always have to rely on your big strong girlfriend to protect you from the mean, scary Numbers-"

James practically tripped over himself. "That's not what I meant at all," he gasped, "I just meant that, since you're a lot better than me, it would be the logical decision to have you duel instead of me."

"Haha, yeah, I know what you meant," she giggled, "but teasing you is just so much fun."

*WITH THE OTHERS*

Matt, Leah and Dan were all of similar builds and fitness levels, so they ran at a pace which they all knew they could manage, heading towards their next Number.

Elsewhere in the city, the man known as Skyler was already on the move, zoning in on the Numbers, using the tracking technology he'd gotten when he's received his robotic right arm.

And that wasn't all. The mysterious Doctor Lithon was also stirring, mobilising his forces, preparing for battle.

The hunt was well and truly on.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: Welcome to the world of many fillers. Have a free t-shirt.**

**Fun Fact #2: What you are about to witness is a large collection of Number duels. Almost every duel here will include a Number, but none of these duels are relevant to the main plot. It is mainly used to show off a large collection of Decks/archetypes/Numbers that we don't have time to show in the main story. It will be updated regularly, whenever we feel like taking a short breather from the main plot.**

**Fun Fact #3: The reason we've structured it this way is basically to keep our filler episodes grouped together. This means you can avoid the filler simply by reading no further than this chapter. Of course, we don't recommend this. These duels will be awesome! Hopefully.**

**Fun Fact #4: Oh, look, there's something we almost forgot to mention. Another _Ultra-Subtle Foreshadowing Hint_! Did you see it? Did you? Did you? Did you?  
**


	2. Katie's abspherelutely sphelarious day 1

**Note: This story takes place directly after Yu-Gi-Oh! Delta: Sandstorm of Psychosis.**

* * *

About ten minutes later, Katie and James arrived on the scene. They identified the Number holder immediately: a girl with long green hair and the yellow number thirty-three on the back of her hand. The bad news was that the Number holder – who they saw was named Ryoki - was already dueling. The good news was that her Number didn't seem to be on the field yet. Each player controlled a single monster, with the weaker monster on Ryoki's field. It was her turn.

**Alex LP:** 900

Wattaildragon: Dragon-Type/LIGHT/Level 6/ATK 2500/DEF 1000

**Ryoki LP:** 2800

Daigusto Sphreez: Psychic-Type/Synchro/WIND/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1300

"I activate the Spell Card, Shrink." Ryoki proclaimed, placing the card on her duel disk. "With this, I can halve the ATK of any face-up monster. I choose my own Daigusto Sphreez." A purple aura surrounded the Gusto monster, and it shrunk to half its original size.

Daigusto Sphreez: ATK 2000 → 1000

"Go Sphreez, attack Wattaildragon!" The shrunken monster soared forwards. "And remember, as long as Sphreez is on the field, you take any Battle Damage that I would normally take from battles involving Gusto monsters!" Sure enough, as the dragon repelled the attack, the shock waves that would've damaged Ryoki stopped in mid-air, then shot back at her opponent. He was knocked to the ground with a thud.

**Alex LP:** 900 → 0

**Ryoki LP:** 2800 [WINNER]

The two Deltas hadn't been there for more than a minute, and the duel was already over. The augmented reality faded away and Ryoki removed her D-Gazer. She started to take a step towards her downed opponent, then stopped as she became aware of the Deltas' presence.

"Well well," she sneered. "Another pair of duelists come to challenge me? That's fine. Bring it on, and bring it on now!"

James and Katie were taken aback by such a sudden challenge. "Why do you want to duel us?" Katie asked. "You don't even know us. You've literally just met us."

"No, but I can see your duel disks on your arms, so I know you're duelists." Ryoki replied loudly. "To me, that's the only thing that matters. You also asked why I want to duel you? I want to duel everyone! I want to prove I'm the best duelist in existence!"

The two kids looked at each other. This was the most assertive Number holder they had met yet. "Well..." James said, "now we know which emotion the Number's amplifying, right?"

Katie laughed. "I suppose we do. Now stand back, boy, it's time for the girls to go to work." James squeezed her hand, then retreated to a safe distance. He had no desire to get caught in the crossfire of two Numbers.

"Duel disk, set. D-Gazer, set." Both player's readied their equipment, Ryoki's a standard grey, Katie's several shades of red. Three sets of D-Gazers linked, and not two minutes after it had disappeared, the augmented reality rose up around them once again.

_"AR Vision – link established."_

"DUEL!"

**Ryoki LP:** 4000

**Katie LP:** 4000

"I'll go first. I draw." Ryoki wasted no time asserting her position. "I'll set one monster and another face-down card. Your move." Her two face-down cards appeared.

Katie responded just as quickly, keen not to let the duel drag out. "My turn, draw. I Normal Summon Evocator Chevalier." The red Gemini monster took to the field in a whirl of flames.

Evocator Chevalier: Warrior-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 900

"Battle!" Katie declared. "Chevalier, attack the face-down monster!" With a battle-cry, the young warrior wreathed its sword in flames, then leapt forth and hacked at the face-down monster.

"That was stupid." Ryoki shouted. "I activate my monster's effect!" The card itself disintegrated, but in its place was a small spherical machine with five legs.

Blast Sphere: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 1400

Ryoki explained. "When Blast Sphere is attacked while face-down, damage calculation is skipped and Blast Sphere is equipped to your monster." Sure enough, the sphere launched itself forward and attached itself to the warrior's chest before it could escape. "Now, during your next Standby Phase, the equipped monster will be destroyed and you'll take damage equal to its ATK. That's 1900 big ones right there!" A faint ticking sound was heard from the round explosive. In a panic, the warrior tried to pry the sphere off, but it refused to budge.

Katie grinned. "Sorry, but that's worked out perfectly for me. You've made a bit of an error there."

"How so?" Ryoki asked suspiciously.

She answered by continuing her move. "I activate the Spell Card, Double Summon, which grants me an extra Normal Summon this turn. So I'll Second Summon Evocator Chevalier." A flash of light illuminated the young warrior, and its left arm was engulfed with flames, signifying the application of its effect.

Evocator Chevalier: Warrior-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 900

"Now, since I've changed Chevalier into an Effect Monster, I think I'll activate its effect. So, by sending an Equip Card I control to the Graveyard, I can destroy any card you control." She looked at her own duel disk. "And since the equipped Blast Sphere goes to my Spell & Trap Card Zone, I've become its controller, so it's a valid cost for Chevalier's effect." The warrior raised its flaming hand and punched clean through the Blast Sphere that was still attached to it. The machine dissipated into the flames, which now began to burn bright yellow. "And as for what I'll destroy, I'll target your face-down card!" With one deft movement, the warrior threw a blazing fireball at Ryoki's face-down card. The card was Atmospheric Revival, and it disappeared in an instant. Ryoki covered her face from the heat.

"Awesome work baby!" James called. "Keep it up!"

She winked at him, then turned her attention back to her opponent. "I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." Her set card appeared behind Chevalier.

By then, Ryoki had recovered, and dove straight into her next move. "I draw. I set one monster and another face-down card. Your move." Both her face-downs materialized, identical to her previous move.

Now Katie was curious. _'For such an assertive Number holder, she sure is playing defensively,' _she mused. _'Well, it certainly makes my task easier.' _"My turn, draw. I Normal Summon **Solstice Armed Mage**." A pale-skinned magician appeared, wearing a dark red trench coat and carrying a long staff. At the end of the staff was a sculpture of a dragon wrapped around a crystal ball.

**Solstice Armed Mage: Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 200**

"Battle!" she called, "Armed Mage, attack the face-down monster!" The Spellcaster charged an orb of fire at the end of its staff, then launched it at the set monster. The card disintegrated within the flames, and the monster only appeared briefly before disappearing as well – a strange yellow bird with a massive metal sphere at the end of its tail.

**Synchronize Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 1200**

Ryoki raised her hand. "I activate the effect of **Synchronize Sphere**. When it's destroyed by battle, I can discard up to two cards with Sphere in their names from my hand, then add that same amount of Sphere cards from my Deck to my hand." She picked two cards from her hand. "I choose Troposphere and Sphere of Chaos to discard, so I can add two cards with Sphere in their names from my Deck to my hand." She considered her choices carefully. "I'll add two copies of Synthesize Sphere to my hand." Her duel disk extracted the cards and she placed them in her hand.

"If you're quite finished," Katie said, "Evocator Chevalier, attack her directly!" With a great turn of speed, the warrior dashed across the distance separating them and slashed at Ryoki, causing her to stagger backwards.

**Ryoki LP:** 4000 → 2100

"With that, I end my turn," Katie declared, as Chevalier settled back on her field. But as Ryoki reached to draw her card, Katie held up a hand to stop her. "But before you start, I have a question to ask you."

Ryoki allowed her hand to fall to her side. "Oh really?"

Katie nodded. "Yes. What makes you so desperate to prove that you're the best in the world?"

Ryoki eyed her with a look of disgust. "Because of sexism." Katie blinked in surprise. "Ever since I started dueling people have been treating me differently because I'm a girl, laughing at me, telling me that dueling is a guy's sport. It's sickening. So I've made a pact to myself. I'm going to show everyone in the world that my gender doesn't matter – I'm going to become the best!" She pointed at James. "You'd best be happy it's not you I'm dueling, or I'd be ripping you to shreds right about now."

"Eh?" James gasped, bewildered. "I haven't done anything."

"No, but you're a guy." Ryoki responded. "And as a rule, guys are all jerks who think nothing of a girl's during skills." James gaped at her incredulously.

On the other side of the field, Katie was looking at her opponent with something close to admiration. _'What a strong girl,' _she thought happily. _'What conviction. Leah would be proud of her.' _She then frowned, remembering her mission. _'It's a shame really – her Number's the one amplifying this conviction. With that, she could go far. But the Number's dangerous, and I have to extract it.'_

"So, are you done asking stupid questions so I can make my move?" Ryoki called, and Katie nodded humbly. "Alright then, my turn, draw. I activate the Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your face-down card!" A fierce wind was whipped up that destroyed Katie's set card, **Solstice Supernova**. "Alright, now I Normal Summon Synthesize Sphere!" A large green bird with a massive sphere instead of a normal body appeared.

Synthesize Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1000

"Next I'll use its effect. When it's Summoned, I can Special Summon another Level four or lower monster from my Graveyard, as long as it has the word Sphere in its name." Her Graveyard zone lit up, and a single card flew out of it. "I select **Synchronize Sphere**!" The sphere on the green bird opened up, and out of it flew the yellow bird from earlier.

**Synchronize Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 1200**

"All set," she grinned. "You ready for this?"

"Katie, it's the Number, it's coming!" James called, desperate to warn his girlfriend as fast as possible. Katie nodded in agreement.

"Stop panicking," Ryoki snapped at him, before returning to the duel. To both James and Katie's surprise, she didn't reach into her Extra Deck, but instead took a card from her hand to play. "From my field I banish **Synchronize Sphere** and Synthesize Sphere, and from my Graveyard I banish Sphere of Chaos." The two strange birds were joined by another metallic sphere that glowed with light, and all three promptly faded away into nothingness. "Arise, my ultimate card, The Atmosphere!" A wicked tornado rose up behind Ryoki, and out of it soared an orange bird with white feathers on its wings and tail. It had armour running up its neck and over its head, and clutched beneath it in its talons was a green orb.

The Atmosphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 8/ATK 1000/DEF 800

"Wait, so your ace card isn't the Number?" Katie gasped.

Ryoki shook her head, grinning. "I can beat you without having to resort to my Number. I activate The Atmosphere's effect! Once per turn, I can equip a monster on your field to The Atmosphere. I choose Evocator Chevalier!" Something began to swirl inside the green crystal ball. It looked like water… or smoke...

All of a sudden, the orb emitted a piercing green light. Katie covered her eyes from the glare. Chevalier was engulfed by the light and dissipated into nothing but particles. With the sound of rushing wind, the remains of the warrior were absorbed into the sphere and the light faded away. Inside the orb, a tiny image of the warrior beat against the glass, trying to escape. "And that's not all," Ryoki declared, "The Atmosphere now gains the ATK and DEF of any monster equipped to it by this effect."

The Atmosphere: ATK 1000 → 2900/DEF 800 → 1700

"Now go, The Atmosphere, attack **Solstice Armed Mage**!" With a warbling screech, the bird show towards the magician. The mage tried to fend it off with his staff, but the phoenix-like creature grabbed it around the waist and carried it into the air. It exploded several feet above Katie, and she covered her face from the shock waves.

**Katie LP:** 4000 → 2900

* * *

Author-made cards:

Solstice Armed Mage  
Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 200  
This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard. While this card is face-up on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it treated as an Effect Monster with this effect: ●This card's original ATK becomes 2400.

Synchronize Sphere  
Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 1200  
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can discard up to 2 "Sphere" cards (except "Spellbook Library of the Heliosphere"); add an equal number of "Sphere" cards (except "Spellbook Library of the Heliosphere") from your Deck to your hand.

Solstice Supernova  
Trap Card  
When a "Solstice" Normal Monster you control is targeted for an attack: Discard 1 card; destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls, then all face-up Gemini monsters you control are treated as Effect Monsters and gain their effects.

* * *

**Fun Fact #5: So, Spheres huh... they sure are spherical...**

**Fun Fact #6: In our eyes, the Spheres are an archetype that never got good representation in the game, mostly due to their proper support cards appearing in the manga and nowhere else. In this duel, we shall attempt to rectify that.**

**Fun Fact #7: We've done it! We've finally done it! We've found an arrow that won't disappear in this website's document editor! This is amazing! This is fantastic! This is incredible! We really shouldn't be getting so excited over this! *Ahem* Yes, that arrow is something we've been trying to implement into our stories ever since our very first one, as a way to more accurately portray the change in a player's Life Points, or the change in a monster's ATK, DEF, OLU, etc. Expect this to be in all future stories (and now in all past stories, after the big revamp we did in December 2012).  
**

**Fun Fact #8: The name Ryoki is a simple alteration of the word Ryōiki, which is one of the listed Japanese translations for 'sphere' (more accurately, its direct translation is 'area' or 'region').**


	3. Katie's abspherelutely sphelarious day 2

**Ryoki LP:** 2100

The Atmosphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 8/ATK 2900/DEF 1700

Spell & Trap Card Zone: Evocator Chevalier [Equip Card]

**Katie LP:** 2900

Katie recovered from the attack quickly and stood up straight, waiting for her opponent to end her turn, and unfazed by the sudden disadvantage she was at.

"I end my turn there." Ryoki declared. "Let's see you come back from that."

"I'll do better than that," Katie retorted. "My turn, draw." She paused and grinned when she saw the card she'd drawn, but didn't activate it immediately. Instead, she took another monster from her hand to play. "I Normal Summon **Solstice Æthermage**!" An almost completely bald Spellcaster appeared. He had a ponytail and wore a crimson robe.

**Solstice Æthermage: Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1300**

"Next I'll activate the Equip Spell Card, Supervise! Equip to **Solstice Æthermage**!" The mage was surrounded by a shimmering veil of flames. As this happened, the mage raised his hands, and between them formed an eye made purely of fire. "As long as this card is equipped to a Gemini monster, that monster gains its effect. And with that effect, I can Tribute it to Special Summon any Solstice monster from my Deck." The bald necromancer faded away and the face-up Equip Spell shattered, but the burning eye remained. It widened and expanded, becoming a flaming portal. "Appear, **Solstice Guru**!" Out of the fiery portal rose an extremely old wizard. He had a long braided beard and was carrying a katana in one hand.

**Solstice Guru: Spellcaster-Type/FIRE/Level 7/ATK 2900/DEF 2750**

"Oh, and I should probably mention that Supervise has another effect. When it goes to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Normal Monster from my Graveyard." She looked at her Graveyard zone, which lit up. "And of course, that includes Gemini monsters, because they're treated as Normal Monsters while in the Graveyard. So be revived, **Solstice Armed Mage**!" A single card flew out of her Graveyard, and the staff-wielding magician took its place on the field once again.

**Solstice Armed Mage: Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 200**

Ryoki gasped. "I see what you're planning!"

"Then I don't need to explain it." Katie grinned. "Battle! **Solstice Guru**, attack The Atmosphere!" The wizened old man leapt forwards, stopping just in front of the giant bird. He slashed with his sword with practised motions, not directly hitting the monster, but conjuring a wall of fire that surrounded it. The bird screeched and flapped its wings, trying to beat out the flames. Then, realising that it wasn't going to escape, it lunged at the magician. Both of them were engulfed by the resulting explosion, but due to their identical ATK, neither player took damage. The equipped Evocator Chevalier card shattered as the monster it was equipped to was destroyed.

"You'll pay for that." Ryoki proclaimed. "I swear it, I'll-"

Katie laughed. "Save your threats until after I'm finished. **Solstice Armed Mage**, direct attack!" The remaining monster launched a fireball from its staff at Ryoki. She cried out in pain as the fireball exploded in front of her.

**Ryoki LP:** 2100 → 300

"That'll do for me. Your move." Katie called.

Ryoki was looking a bit angrier by this point, the yellow number thirty-three on her hand burning brighter than ever. "My turn, draw! I Normal Summon Transforming Sphere!" A new bird appeared. This one was visually similar to The Atmosphere, but carried a much larger and much paler orb relative to the rest of its body.

Transforming Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 3/ATK 100/DEF 100

"I know that thing," Katie cut in. "It's another one of those monsters that can absorb my monsters, but for this one, my monster has to be in Defence Position." She eyed her remaining monster. "And sorry, but that isn't the case here. **Solstice Armed Mage** is in Attack Pos-"

"Shut it," Ryoki snapped. "I activate the Spell Card, Star Changer." The card appeared on her field. "With this card, I can modify the Level of any face-up monster by one. I choose to increase the Level of your monster." A bewildered looking **Solstice Armed Mage** was surrounded by particles of light as the Spell Card upped its Level.

Solstice Armed Mage: Level 4 → 5

Now Katie was utterly lost. "You what? Sorry, but how in earth does that benefit you?"

"Like this!" Ryoki took a card from her hand and revealed it to Katie. It was the monster card, Breeze Sphere. "Due to the effect of the Breeze Sphere in my hand, I can Special Summon it straight to the field if you control any Level five or higher monsters. So come on out, Breeze Sphere!" A miniature little bird hopped onto the field, standing on the green orb that materialized along with it.

Breeze Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 2/ATK 700/DEF 1000

Ryoki sneered menacingly. "Now, here comes my secret weapon!"

"Is it the Number this time?" James called.

Ryoki stopped grinning and instantly rounded on him. "No it isn't my Number! I told you that I could beat her without it! Now stop interrupting me!" James held his hands up defensively and said nothing more, though he was secretly glad that Ryoki still wasn't planning on Summoning her Number.

"Hey!" Katie interrupted. "Stop yelling at him! I'm your opponent."

She looked back at Katie, the malice back in her eyes. "Fair enough, at least I know you're paying attention. So here we go! I activate the Trap Card, **Atmospheric Gateway**!" The Trap Card activated.

"**Atmospheric Gateway**?" Katie said apprehensively. "What does that do?"

"This," Ryoki replied. "By Tributing two monsters I control, this card lets me search though my Extra Deck, and Special Summon one copy of either Daigusto Sphreez, Thought Ruler Archfiend, or any Sphere monster I find there. I Tribute Transforming Sphere and Breeze Sphere!" Behind her, a large circular metal gate rose out of the ground, with a large green sphere sitting on the top. The two birds changed into orbs of light and flew into the gateway, which began to crackle with energy. "Appear! Thought Ruler Archfiend!" With a flash of light, the gateway formed a rippling surface within itself, which seemed to have the consistency of clouds – a doorway to another realm. With a roar, a creature flew out of it trailing vapour, and took its place behind Ryoki as the gateway disappeared. It was a giant, black-and-white skeletal dragon, with bat-like wings and massive yellow claws.

Thought Ruler Archfiend: Psychic-Type/Synchro/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2300

"No way..." James breathed. "A Trap Card that can Summon a Synchro Monster just like that? Unbelievable..."

Katie was thinking the same thing. In one of her lessons at school, she vaguely recalled being taught about one of the legendary duelists named Yusei Fudo, who had used a similar card called Starlight Road back in the Synchro Revolution of the 22nd century. But she'd learnt that back when she'd just started high school - her memories of those days were hazy at best.

"Battle!" Ryoki's command snapped Katie out of her reverie. "Thought Ruler Archfiend, attack **Solstice Armed Mage**!" The dragon-like creature teleported in front of the magician, who looked up at it in fright. With its claws crackling with electricity, the dragon swiped at the magician, which exploded on the spot. Katie covered her face as the shock waves hit her.

**Katie LP:** 2900 → 2000

"And don't forget," Ryoki added, "whenever Thought Ruler Archfiend destroys a monster in battle, the destroyed monster's ATK is added to my Life Points." The same yellow lightning that had coated Thought Ruler's claws now passed over her, restoring her Life Points.

**Ryoki LP:** 300 → 2100

The girl grinned as Katie wiped sweat from her brow, "I've done enough, so I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." Her set card appeared.

Katie took a deep breath before starting her turn. "My turn, draw. I activate the Spell Card, Swing of Memories, which lets me revive a Normal Monster in my Graveyard for this turn. I revive **Solstice Guru**!" The elder wizard appeared once again.

**Solstice Guru: Spellcaster-Type/FIRE/Level 7/ATK 2900/DEF 2750**

"Next I'll Normal Summon Blazewing Butterfly." A large butterfly with blazing wings materialized, flitting about behind Guru, and giving it sharp contrast on either side.

Blazewing Butterfly: Insect-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500

"Battle! **Solstice Guru**, attack Thought Ruler Archfiend!" In the same process as with The Atmosphere, the Guru ran forward and whipped up a whirlwind of flames, which engulfed Thought Ruler. The Psychic-Type monster exploded and Ryoki was damaged once again.

**Ryoki LP:** 2100 → 1900

"Blazewing Butterfly, direct attack!" For the third time that duel, one of Katie's monsters moved in for a direct attack. And once again, it connected, causing Ryoki to stagger backwards.

**Ryoki LP:** 1900 → 400

"I guess I end my turn there. So now, **Solstice Guru** returns to my Graveyard." The wizened old man faded from sight.

Ryoki didn't start her turn, but rather just stood there, her Number's symbol blazing with light. "The Atmosphere... Thought Ruler Archfiend... why?" She glared at Katie and shouted. "Why can none of my strongest cards take you down?" She gestured at Alex, her opponent from the last duel. "They worked on him! How do you keep defeating them with such ease?"

Katie shrugged. "I dunno... I just do."

"Not anymore you don't!" Ryoki snapped. "I've had enough! It's time for my true ace monster to come out! My turn, draw!" With unusual haste, she drew her card. "I Normal Summon Synthesize Sphere!" Another copy of the same green bird from earlier in the duel appeared.

Synthesize Sphere: Winged Beast-Type/WIND/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1000

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Katie gasped, "you added two of those cards to your hand with Synchronize Sphere."

"That's right," Ryoki replied. "Now I'll use its effect. When it's Summoned, I can revive any Level four or lower Sphere monster from my Graveyard. I choose Blast Sphere!" The mechanical monster that revived was the same monster that she had set on her very first turn.

Blast Sphere: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 1400

"Finally, I'll use the Spell Card Monster Reborn, to steal a monster from your Graveyard." She considered her choice carefully. "I select **Solstice Æthermage**!" The bald necromancer appeared on Ryoki's side of the field, with its arms lowered and its effect inactive.

**Solstice Æthermage: Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1300**

"Ready for this?" Ryoki grinned, the number on her hand flaring with light.

To Katie's immense surprise, she was. She did feel ready. It was a strange feeling, preparing to take on a Number, one of the creatures that had caused her so much anguish in the past... and she didn't feel scared.

"Level four **Solstice Æthermage**, Blast Sphere, and Synthesize Sphere, Overlay!" The three monsters turned fully red, purple, and green respectively, and flew into the air. In the sky, a galaxy-style portal opened within the clouds, and the three monsters shot up into it. "I use these three monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The portal exploded, lighting up the sky above them. "Descend forth, **Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber**!"

Squinting her eyes against the glare of the sun, Katie saw the yellow number thirty-three flash above the field. From inside the clouds a perfectly spherical structure descended. It was a brilliant green colour outlined with grey. A hatch on the top of the sphere opened and the clouds above the monster began to swirl as fast as a whirlpool, as the air currents from the sphere hit them. Two bright orange eyes opened on the front of the sphere, and looked straight down at Katie. Its three green Overlay Units circled it, falling in perfect alignment with the Number's spherical structure, like glowing moons orbiting a planet.

**Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber: Machine-Type/Xyz/WIND/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1600 – 3 OLU**

* * *

Author-made cards:

Solstice Guru  
Spellcaster-Type/FIRE/Level 7/ATK 2900/DEF 2750  
_A Spellcaster that casts waves of fire to confuse and frighten its enemies before attacking. He is the only one left alive who is familiar with the lore surrounding the __disappearance _of the Solstice magicians.

Solstice Æthermage  
Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1300  
This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard. While this card is face-up on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it treated as an Effect Monster with this effect: ●You can Tribute this card you control; Special Summon 1 "Solstice" monster (except "Solstice Æthermage") from your Deck.

Atmospheric Gateway  
Trap Card  
Tribute 2 monsters you control; Special Summon 1 "Thought Ruler Archfiend", 1 "Daigusto Sphreez" or 1 "Sphere" monster from your Extra Deck.

* * *

**Fun Fact #9: Spherical Spheres of Sphericalness... I mean Sphereously, that's Sphelarious!**

**Fun Fact #10: Ok, in all Sphereousness, some of you may be wondering why Atmospheric Gateway can also Summon Thought Ruler Archfiend or Daigusto Sphreez from the Extra Deck. Well, the reason is that they're both Sphere monsters (their Japanese names are Mental Sphere Dæmon and Daigusta Sphered respectively), so they both qualify for any Sphere support.**

**Fun Fact #11: Sphear the Spheres! They don't come in peace, they come to destroy! Sphear them!**

**Fun Fact #12: Ok, here's a fun game. Try posting a review here, and when you do, try to feasibly include the word Sphere in the review as many times as you possibly can (see the Fun Facts above for examples). No silly words like computesphere, spherectricity, etc. It'll be fun to see what you guys/girls come up with.**


	4. Katie's abspherelutely sphelarious day 3

**Ryoki LP:** 400

**Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber: Machine-Type/Xyz/WIND/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1600 – 3 OLU**

**Katie LP:** 2000

Blazewing Butterfly: Insect-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500

Katie strained her neck to look up at the Number, still hovering way above them, refusing to come any lower. "So that's your Number..." she stated thoughtfully.

"You don't seem all that impressed." Ryoki observed.

Katie continued looking at the sphere a moment longer, then lowered her line of sight back to her opponent. "To tell you the truth... no, I'm not. I've dueled a few of these things myself, and I've seen more of them in duels. And I have to say, that one isn't all that scary. **Number 94: Matrix Golem** was scarier than that. Hell, even **Number 3: Comet the Skylord** was scarier than that."

"How dare you mock my ultimate card!" Ryoki screamed at her. "How dare you suggest it doesn't hold up to what you've seen before!"

"Well... you see..." Katie said, trying to find the right words for it. "It's... how can I put this..."

"Spit it out!" Ryoki snapped. "It's what?"

"Cute." Katie finished. Ryoki's eyes widened in surprise, and Katie looked back up at the Number. "I mean look at it. It's a giant ball with eyes. That's adorable."

Ryoki could hardly get the words out. "Please tell me you're joking..." she spluttered.

"Nope," Katie said, now grinning. "It's the sort of thing I'd put on a key ring." Before Ryoki could respond, Katie called up to the Number in a ridiculously exaggerated baby voice, at the same time reaching out a hand as if to tickle it under the chin – if spheres had chins. "Hey there, would you like to be on a key ring? Yes you would! Coochie coochie coo." The Number's eyes narrowed in the crude imitation of a frown, as if not quite believing what it was hearing. "I could totally make a plushie toy out of you!"

That did it. The number's symbol on Ryoki's hand flared bright yellow as Ryoki lost her temper. "That does it! You're going down right now! You're not making a mockery of me anymore!" The Number's eyes seemed to widen as Ryoki's emotions flowed through their bond. "I activate Spheracron's effect! Once per turn, by detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can target a Level four or lower monster in your Graveyard and equip it to my Number, which then gains ATK equal to half the equipped monster's ATK!" One of the green orbs, as if suddenly caught in an updraft, spiralled up above it and then straight down into the hatch on top of it.

**Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber: 3 **→** 2 OLU**

The clouds above the sphere began to spin faster and faster, whipping up a proper hurricane. As Katie dropped to one knee to keep herself from being blown away, her Graveyard zone lit up again, and out of it materialized one of her monsters, Evocator Chevalier. The young warrior was sucked into the sky and into the layer of spinning clouds. They could actually see it, thrashing around in the sea of white, trying to escape. Then, the hatch on top of the Number opened wider and the clouds were suddenly being drawn into the Number like a white whirlpool. Chevalier was sucked straight in with them. The hatch closed, and for the second time that duel, the Evocator Chevalier card appeared on Ryoki's field as an Equip Card.

**Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber: ATK 2200 **→** 3150**

"Scared now?" Ryoki shouted. "Battle! Spheracron, attack Blazewing Butterfly!" In front of its face, the Number began to manifest a pure white sphere of wind, which swelled to a huge size as more of the clouds were pulled from the atmosphere into it. Then, when the sphere was as big as the Number itself, it fired. It completely engulfed both Katie and her field. The butterfly, pelted by wind and water, was vanquished in an instant, but Katie remained to take the damage.

**Katie LP:** 2000 → 350

The sphere dissipated and Katie collapsed onto her knees, uninjured but aching all over. She was vaguely aware of James calling her name, but she did need him to remind her of what a fool she was being. She couldn't be complacent around the Numbers – it would get her killed. With an effort, she got to her feet again.

Her opponent smirked. "Hmph, I'll end my turn there. Go ahead, it's your last move. You'd better make it count." Katie brushed herself off, and with outrage, Ryoki saw that she was still smiling. "What is it? What's so amusing?"

"Nothing... it's just odd," Katie mused, more to herself than to Ryoki or James. "As Number hunters we spend most of our time trying to find ways to take these Numbers down. But it's never once been this easy before. We've never had a Number holder leave their Number so unguarded like that."

Ryoki just scowled at her. "Stop stalling. Just go!"

"If you insist," Katie giggled. "My turn, draw. I Normal Summon **Solstice Bewitcher**." In a whirl of embers, Katie's new monster appeared. It was an extremely weird looking, traditional shaman-esque creature, with crazy white hair protruding from behind a crimson mask, devils horns, and a red robe that was in tatters.

**Solstice Bewitcher: Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 0**

James started laughing as he realised what his girlfriend was up to. "Oh seriously, Katie, that's evil!" She winked at him.

"What does that do?" Ryoki asked suspiciously.

"You'll find out soon enough," she replied. "Next I activate the Quick-play Spell Card, Unleash Your Power!, which changes all face-up Gemini monsters I control into Effect Monsters, but flips them face-down during the End Phase." A bright flame lit up covering both of the shaman's hands, signifying its effect's application. "And now, since its effect is now being applied, I think I'll activate it!" The shaman began to dance. A crazy, to-and-fro, back-and-forth dance which sent smouldering embers from its flailing arms in all directions.

"Ok, seriously, what's happening?" Ryoki asked, now starting to get a bit nervous.

"I'll tell you," Katie smiled. "With Bewitcher's effect, once per turn, I can target any face-up monster you control and swap control of it with this card!"

"What?" she gasped in horror. "So that card trades itself for a monster on my side?"

"You got it," Katie laughed. "**Solstice Bewitcher**, exchange control of yourself with **Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber**!" The shaman-like creature danced faster and faster, and the Number's eyes followed it, becoming mesmerized. Quite suddenly, Spheracron's eyes flashed red, and it began to move across the sky very slowly. The vortex of clouds always stayed directly above it, moving with the Number. Both duelists watched in awe as the Number, completely under the Solstice monster's spell, shifted from Ryoki's field to Katie's field. Once there, it spun slowly on its axis and turned to face its original owner. With a final, huge leap, **Solstice Bewitcher** completed its dance and crossed the distance between the two duelists and settled on Ryoki's field.

Ryoki gasped as the glowing number on her hand shattered, and the possession over her greatly diminished, though the Number remained attached to her soul. She looked at Katie in a new light, now seeing her as more than simply an enemy duelists standing in her way.

Katie flinched as the yellow number thirty-three etched itself onto her hand. But she needn't have worried – the protection provided by her metal band was still in effect, even on Numbers that she hadn't extracted yet. She breathed a sigh of relief and returned her attention to the duel.

"Battle!" she shouted, "**Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber**, attack **Solstice Bewitcher**!" Just as it had the previous turn, the Number charged a sphere of wind and water vapour, then launched it at **Solstice Bewitcher**. The shaman watched it coming closer, and if either duelist had been paying enough attention, they would've heard it chuckle.

Just like before, the sphere of wind consumed Ryoki's field. The Solstice monster quickly dissipated, but there was to be no escape for Ryoki. She cried out in pain and shock. When the ball of wind vanished, she was laying on her back, stunned.

**Ryoki LP:** 400 → 0

**Katie LP:** 350 [WINNER]

The Number disappeared and the augmented reality descended around them. It was then that Katie noticed a glow on her duel disk. Looking down, she saw Number 33's card rise off of her duel disk and began flying back to Ryoki.

_'Oh no you don't,' _she thought, and raised her right hand to point at the card. From the glowing metal band around her wrist, tendrils of light extended and grabbed hold of the levitating card in mid-air. The card tugged at the bonds holding it, but couldn't escape. More tendrils appeared from her band, went straight past the Number card and into the body of her downed opponent. Ryoki's body went rigid, her eyes wide with shock.

Within a few seconds the tendrils retracted, bringing with them a tiny pulsating orb of light. The orb was dragged away from Ryoki, past the Number's card and towards Katie. With no help from the tentacle-like things, the card spun around in mid-air and chased after the little orb, which retracted into the band with the tendrils. Katie caught the card as it flew towards her and watched as the number thirty-three briefly appeared on her hand again.

With that done, she pocketed the card, and was immediately glomped by James. They shared a quick-yet-passionate kiss, but Katie couldn't forget her duty. She broke off (much to James' dismay) and ran over to check on her opponent, who was just starting to regain her senses.

"You okay there?" she asked, helping Ryoki into a sitting position.

Ryoki looked at the pair of them bleary-eyed as she tried to recall what had happened. Fortunately, the memories of the duel were still with her, but the memories of the Number had disappeared. It was almost a minute before she spoke. "You... you were amazing."

James and Katie looked at each other. "What do you mean?" Katie asked.

"The way you dueled totally seriously, the way every one of your moves was perfectly calculated – you're an amazing duelist." Katie blushed at the praise. "You'e so strong. I hope to be just like you someday."

"Aw, thanks," Katie replied happily. "Now come on, up you get. We'll take you home." With an effort, she helped the girl to her feet and the three of them set off, chatting about boys, the duel, and everything else they could think of.

*MEANWHILE*

A short time before Katie's duel had finished, the three remaining Deltas arrived on their scene. They were in a construction site, but the construction people were taking a few days break, so the place was deserted.

Except for one man.

Matt, Leah and Dan spotted him the moment they entered the park. He was simply sitting on an empty barrel, his chin resting on his hands, watching the kids come closer. The Deltas noticed the faint glowing number fifteen on his shoulder, and that told them all they need to know.

The man himself was unimpressive. He had a grubby face, a cardigan that was in tatters, and ripped jeans. Everything about him was untidy. He stank too – the kids could smell it from halfway across the construction site. Still, he had a duel disk that was in pretty good condition, so they assumed he must be a duelist.

"Hey there," Matt called out to him. They had decided on the way that Matt was going to be the one to duel him. "Feeling up to a friendly duel?"

At the sound of his voice, the man buried his head in his hands. "I can't escape them..." he murmured, and his number glowed brighter than ever. "They won't stop following me... they won't leave me alone..."

* * *

Author-made cards:

Solstice Bewitcher  
Spellcaster-Type/Gemini/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 0  
This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard. While this card is face-up on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it treated as an Effect Monster with this effect: ●Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; switch control of that target with this card.

Number 33: Spheracron the Cyclone Absorber  
Machine-Type/Xyz/WIND/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1600  
3 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. When a Spell/Trap Card(s) on the field would be destroyed, you can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card instead. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card, then target 1 Level 4 or lower monster in your opponent's Graveyard; equip that target to this card (max. 1). This card gains ATK equal to half the ATK of that equipped monster.

* * *

**Fun Fact #13: Well, that's the Sphere's time in the limelight over. Say a fond farewell to the Spheres (for now) and say a bold hello to the next underappreciated Deck type that will be revealed in the next chapter. Here's a hint: this next archetype comes from the same manga series that most of the Spheres do.**

**Fun Fact #14: Congrats to Ramijek for giving the best Sphere puns in the review to the last chapter. Abspherelutely sphelarious!**

**Fun Fact #15: Before adding the 'Author-made cards' section and the 'Fun Facts' section, this chapter was precisely 2000 words long. Riveting, I know.**


	5. Curse of the Sealed Mantra 1

**Note: This story takes place directly after Yu-Gi-Oh! Delta: Sandstorm of Psychosis.**

* * *

Matt took a tentative step forward upon hearing this. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Is someone following you? Who is it?"

"You don't understand..." the man raised his head to look at them, and it was then that they saw the desperation and fear in his eyes. "It's them. I can't escape them."

"Just answer me straight," Matt insisted. "What is the problem?"

"The voices..." the man replied. "They keep coming for me."

"Voices?" Matt queried.

The man nodded. "Ever since I was a kid, I've suffered with paranoia and all that stuff. Sometimes I'd think I could hear voices, but as I grew up it got better. Some medication I was taking at the time helped. I began to think that I was cured." He shuddered. "But a few weeks ago that all changed. The voices came back, loud and clear. And what's more, I realised what's causing them." He raised his duel disk and pointed to his Deck.

"Your Deck?" Leah asked. "You believe your Deck is speaking to you?"

"I can hear them..." the man went on. "All the monsters in my Deck, all of them... whispering to me... screaming at me…" he once again buried his face in his hands, unable to go on.

By that point, Matt had a pretty good idea of what was going on. He motioned to the other two and they gathered closer to him. "It's the Number. It has to be."

"But we've never known a Number holder to act like this," Dan said. "And he says it's been going on since he was a kid, which is before the Numbers even existed."

They all considered this for a moment. Then Leah spoke up. "Well, he said the voices started coming back recently. Maybe the Number is creating all these voices to force the holder to do something."

"But do what?" Dan replied. Leah had to confess that she didn't know.

"I have an idea..." Matt muttered, before breaking the circle and turning back to the man. Listen, old timer," he called, "I think I know what's causing your problems. I also think I can get rid of it."

The man looked up, his face brightening. "You can? You would do that for me?"

Mat nodded. Vaguely, he wondered if there was actually a hint of insanity in the man. After all, the man seemed to believe that a teenage boy could help him with his mental problems. He continued. "Yes, I think I can help you. But you have to duel me."

The man's face fell immediately. "No... please... anything but that..." he whispered. "I don't want to duel... I can't..." he cried out in anguish. Matt took a step back as the number fifteen on the man's shoulder blazed like a tiny beacon. The man then looked up at them with red-tinted eyes. Then he spoke in a horrible voice, a voice that didn't belong to him. _"He shall duel whether he wants to or not."_

"Number 15..." Dan growled, stepping up beside Matt. "Get out of there! Leave that poor man alone!"

_"Never…" _the Number replied, still using the man as a puppet. _"This man is not the duelist I was hoping for. Still, he is a duelist, so he will have to do. I have taken the necessary steps to make sure he duels, so I may have my way with the world."_

"By necessary steps, do you mean torturing him into doing your bidding?" Leah shouted.

_"That is precisely what I mean," _the Number replied. The man groaned and clutched his head, his eyes clenched shut. But his mouth kept moving, and the Number kept speaking. _"So go ahead, challenge my host once again. I can guarantee you that he will not refuse." _Finally, the Number fell silent, and the man looked up at them with a look of hopelessness. "Please... please help me..."

Once again, the three kids gathered round. "I knew it," Matt said. "This Number has possessed its host differently to the others."

"What do you mean?" Leah asked.

"Well," Matt began, "I think that this man's spirit is a lot weaker than most people's, probably owing to the trauma he's been put through in his life. So..."

"...instead of a natural possession where the Number feeds of the hosts desires..." Dan added.

"...this Number has taken complete control!" Leah finished.

"Exactly." Matt said. "The Number is manipulating his mind into thinking his cards are talking to him, and that he has to obey them. All the more reason to get this Number away from him as quickly as possible." He turned back to the man. "Alright, listen. I can help you. I can get rid of the voices. But you mustn't be scared. You have to duel me."

The man hesitated, then nodded tentatively. "Alright... I trust you..."

As Matt prepared his dueling equipment and linked his D-Gazer, he was secretly worried. _'The easy part was getting him to duel,' _he thought. _'Once the duel begins, the Number's going to be controlling his moves… this duel isn't going to be easy.'_

_"AR Vision – link established."_

The automated voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he cleared his mind as the augmented reality field appeared. A quick glance at the life point readout told him that the man's name was Haydra.

"DUEL!"

**Matt LP:** 4000

**Haydra LP:** 4000

"I'll go first. I draw." Haydra drew his card very tentatively, as if afraid it might bite him. "I'll set one monster plus one other face-down. Your turn." His two face-down cards appeared, one above the other.

"My turn, draw," Matt examined his hand carefully before making a move. "I Normal Summon Dark Blade." A monster with black spikey armour and a long, wicked-looking sword took to the field.

Dark Blade: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1500

"Battle! Dark Blade, attack the face-down monster!" The warrior charged towards the face-down card and hacked it to pieces with a few expert swings. The monster briefly appeared – a strange lizard creature with no arms, a shark beak and a smooth tail – before exploding.

Sealed Beast Inun: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 200/DEF 300

"I activate the effect of Sealed Beast Inun." The man declared. "When it's sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can add one copy of Sealed Mantra from my Deck to my hand." His duel disk extracted the Spell Card, which he placed in his hand.

"Sealed Beasts..." Matt wondered aloud. "I'll set one card and end my turn." His face-down appeared behind Dark Blade.

"My turn, draw." Haydra may not have been much of a duelist, but right now he seemed to be getting into the swing of things. "I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Sealed Mantra!"

The Spell Card materialized on his field. Something strange about the card, something Matt noticed immediately, was that the card had no effect. Its text box was completely blank. What did that mean...?

All of a sudden he remembered. It was something he'd been taught in class, about Decks that have to rely on certain single cards to make them work. The Toons were one example. The Sealed Beasts were another. Matt knew he couldn't let that card stay on the field. "I chain my Trap Card, Dust Tornado!" His Trap Card activated, whipping up a mighty wind. "With this, I can destroy one Spell or Trap Card you control. I target Sealed Mantra!" The tornado moved across the field and surrounded the target.

"Oh... um... er..." Haydra struggled, sifting through his hand as he looked for a possible counter. "What do I do? I can't-" He suddenly seemed to choke on his words, and he clutched his throat in shock. The glowing symbol fifteen flared with light.

_"Oh no you don't," _Haydra rasped, and Matt knew that the Number must've asserted its control again. _"I activate the Continuous Trap Card, Barrier of the Ancient Writings!" _The face-down that Haydra had set last turn flipped up. _"As long as this card is in play, face-up Sealed Mantras I control cannot be destroyed by card effects!" _Sure enough, the tornado dissipated, revealing that Sealed Mantra had been unharmed.

Matt gritted his teeth. "Damnit, Number 15, why can't you just sit back and wait to be Summoned before you interfere in this duel?"

The Number laughed through Haydra's body. _"If my host makes foolish moves, I shall correct them. I'm not letting you clench victory that easily, young one…" _The Number's laughter subsided, and Haydra continued his move as if nothing had happened.

"I Normal Summon Sealed Beast Boa Bolan!" Another reptilian creature materialized. It was visually similar to Inun, but its head looked a lot more like a carnivorous skull, and it had a spiked collar around its neck.

Sealed Beast Boa Bolan: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1000

"Next I'll activate the Equip Spell Card, **Preservation of Mantra**! Equip to Boa Bolan!" As the Spell Card appeared, Boa Bolan was coated in a thin layer of slime. "This card can only equip to a Sealed Beast monster, and only while Sealed Mantra is in play. But once equipped, the equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle, you can't activate Spell or Trap Cards when it attacks, and if it would be destroyed by a card effect, I can destroy this Equip Card instead."

_'So much protection from one card…' _Matt thought.

"Battle!" Haydra declared. "Sealed Beast Boa Bolan, attack Dark Blade!" The creature lumbered towards the warrior, the lunged at it with its pointy beak. Dark Blade used its sword as a defence to fend the creature off.

**Haydra LP:** 4000 → 3900

"Due to the Equip Spell, **Preservation of Mantra**, Sealed Beast Boa Bolan isn't destroyed." Haydra explained. "Also, whenever Boa Bolan battles a monster while Sealed Mantra is on the field, if your monster survived the battle, then Boa Bolan's effect will finish the job and destroy it!" The lizard lunged again. Dark Blade wasn't expecting a follow-up attack, and immediately succumbed to the creature's jaws. Matt covered his face from the resulting explosion. "That ends my turn." Haydra concluded.

Matt stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his brow. "My turn, draw." He was concerned that getting Boa Bolan off the field would be hard, but was pleasantly surprised to see a solution present itself in his hand. "I activate the effect of **Hunter of Eoseuleum – Kariudo** in my hand." He picked the card out and showed it to his opponent. "With this effect, I can Special Summon it from my hand by destroying a face-up Spell Card on your field."

"You what?"

"That's right," Matt replied. "Now, since Barrier of the Ancient Writings is preventing me from destroying Sealed Mantra, I have only one option. I destroy the Equip Spell, **Preservation of Mantra**!" The Spell Card shattered, and the coat of slime was lifted from Boa Bolan. "Appear, **Hunter of Eoseuleum – Kariudo**!" A black-armoured warrior with a huge battle-axe appeared. It had streaks of white running down its arms and legs, and the Eoseuleum's crest – an orange streak in the shape of a candle's flame – was printed onto both sides of the axe.

**Hunter of Eoseuleum – Kariudo: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 1000/DEF 1000**

"Next I Normal Summon **Knight of Eoseuleum – Na Ito**!" A second warrior appeared alongside the first. It was one of the two Eoseuleum twins, coloured black and white in swirling patterns, with a streak of dark orange – the Eoseuleum's crest - on its right shoulder.

**Knight of Eoseuleum – Na Ito: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 1000**

"Battle! Go, Knight of Eoseuleum, attack Boa Bolan!" The knight ran forwards and cut the serpent down.

**Haydra LP:** 3900 → 3700

"And due to its effect, when it destroys a monster by battle, I can add any Eoseuleum card from my Deck to my hand." He selected **Soldier of Eoseuleum - Heishi**. "Hunter, follow up with a direct attack!" The second warrior ran straight at Haydra, who was knocked backwards as the Hunter lashed out with its battle-axe.

**Haydra LP:** 3700 → 2700

"I'll end my turn there." Matt said calmly, as his monsters settled back on his field. Weighing up all the risks involved, he decided it was safe to taunt the Number a little. "What's wrong Number 15?" he called. "I thought you promised me a tough duel."

Haydra got to his feet, breathing heavily, his glowing symbol flickering erratically. Once again, the Number spoke through its host in that same horrible, rasping voice. _"Oh, I intend to deliver on my promise, human…"_

* * *

Author-made cards:

Hunter of Eoseuleum - Kariudo  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 1000/DEF 1000  
You can target 1 face-up Spell Card your opponent controls; destroy that target, then Special Summon this card from your hand. This card is unaffected by Spell effects.

Knight of Eoseuleum - Na Ito  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 1000  
If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell Cards until the end of the Damage Step. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can add 1 "Eoseuleum" card from your Deck to your hand.

Preservation of Mantra  
Equip Spell Card  
Equip only to a "Sealed Beast" monster. If there is no face-up "Sealed Mantra" on the field, destroy this card. The equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle. If the equipped monster attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell/Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.

* * *

**Fun Fact #16: And if you guessed Sealed Beasts, then you guessed right! Congrats! Have a cookie!**

**Fun Fact #17: Just like the Spheres, the Sealed Beasts are an archetype that never really got fair representation in the game (even less so than the Spheres - not one of the Sealed Beasts has ever been released). So here you get to experience the Sealed Beasts in all their glory. Yes, we are aware that they're called Forbidden Beasts in the English version. Yes, we are ignoring it.**

**Fun Fact #18: To Ramijek, who suggested the Planet series, I wish we could. The Planet series was fantastic and Konami should've released them all. Unfortunately, the Planet's are a legendary series that did plot-relevent things in the GX manga, so we probably won't include them. To the Guest who suggested the Yokai monsters, close but no banana. And to the Guest who asked if the Numbers from this story will appear in future stories, our answer is... well, if you're reading from the future, you already know the answer.  
**

**Fun Fact #19: As you've probably guessed by now, 'Kariudo' is Japanese for hunter or huntsman.  
**


	6. Curse of the Sealed Mantra 2

**Matt LP: **4000

**Hunter of Eoseuleum – Kariudo: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 1000/DEF 1000**

**Knight of Eoseuleum – Na Ito: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 1000**

**Haydra LP:** 2700

Spell & Trap Card Zone: Sealed Mantra, Barrier of the Ancient Writings

"It's my turn, draw!" Haydra declared, apparently completely oblivious to his how his Number kept forcing its voice through. "I activate the Spell Card, Mantra within the Corpse! This card can only be activated if I control Sealed Mantra, but then lets me draw one card for each Sealed Beast monster in my Graveyard. Since I have two – Boa Booran and Inun – I draw two cards."

Matt was sceptical. "You what? No way. There's no card that can just let you draw like that without having a downside."

"Sorry buddy, but this card doesn't really have a downside." Haydra replied.

_'These Sealed Beasts are more powerful than I thought…' _Matt thought as the man drew his cards.

"Alright, now I'll use the effect of Sealed Beast Nunurao in my hand." He revealed the card, just as Matt had done with Kariudo last turn. "If I control a face-up Sealed Mantra, this card can be Special Summoned from my hand just like that." He placed the card on his duel disk, followed swiftly by another one. "And it just so happens that I have two of the little creatures. So appear, both copies of Sealed Beast Nunurao!" Two snake-like creatures appeared alongside each other. They both seemed to be wearing bear skulls over their heads, and had chest and tail armour.

Sealed Beast Nunurao: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 2/ATK 500/DEF 800

Sealed Beast Nunurao: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 2/ATK 500/DEF 800

"Now I Tribute both monsters: Tribute Summon!" Both Nunuraos disappeared into nothingness. "Appear now, Sealed Beast Bronn!" A new monster formed out of the particles of the first two. It was a monstrous reptile, with a head that resembled a curved skeletal hand with a single blood-red eye staring out of the palm. It had small, spiked feet, and a heavily armoured tail.

Sealed Beast Bronn: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2100

"And due to Bronn's effect, as long as the Sealed Mantra is on the field, Bronn is unaffected by card effects." Haydra explained.

_"I'm sure you've realised it by now, human," _the Number rasped again. By this time Matt was used to it. _"The Sealed Beasts are weak while on their own. Powerless, even. They require the Sealed Mantra to be in play to use their full power, but once it is, their power far exceeds that of any regular Deck." _The Number, now in complete control of Haydra's body, looked at its hands. _"It's amusing, really. While this host may be incredibly weak, his Deck is surprisingly strong." _Matt gritted his teeth at the Number's words. _"What's wrong, child? Come. Get angry. Show me your true power."_

"Battle!" With a jolt, Matt realised that Haydra had regained control and had declared battle. "Sealed Beast Bronn, attack **Knight of Eoseuleum – Na Ito**!" The reptilian creature lumbered forwards and fell on the knight, crushing it with its mouth-hand-thing. The warrior cried out in pain and exploded.

**Matt LP:** 4000 → 3200

"I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Haydra's two set cards appeared as Bronn pranced back over to his side, looking pleased with itself.

As Matt began his turn, Dan noticed a movement from a nearby scaffolding structure. He looked around to check it out, and gasped as he noticed a man that he recognised – a man who he never wanted to see again.

It was Skyler.

The rogue Number hunter was sitting on a girder completely nonchalantly, watching the duel as if he didn't have a care in the world. He had a D-Gazer that was tuned into the duel, and he was distractedly rubbing his robotic right hand. He hadn't even attempted to conceal his location – Dan was ashamed for not spotting him sooner. He nudged Leah and pointed him out. She likewise gasped when she saw him. "What's he doing here?" he whispered to her.

"The Numbers," she replied. "It has to be. Remember what he did in your duel with Harrison? He waited until you'd beaten him then swooped in and grabbed the Number while your back was turned."

"You're right," he said. "We need to stop him now."

"I Summon **Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi**!" The kids were distracted by Matt's Summoning. The monster had white armour with black stripes and carried a phalanx.

**Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1400**

Skyler continued to watch the duel with aloof disinterest. He hadn't extracted a Number in quite a while, and he was irritated that the Deltas had beat him to this one. _'Still,' _he mused, _'I suppose I should at least see what I'm missing out on.' _The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he turned his head away from the duel to see Leah and Dan running over to him. "Ah, my old friends," he said sarcastically. "And how can I help you today?"

"Don't play games, scumbag," Leah said as they stopped in front of him, looking up at where he was perched like a lazy magpie. "You're here for the Numbers, aren't you?"

Skyler made no attempt to come down, or to escape, or to interfere with the duel. He simply sat there and observed the two of them with dispassion, as if deciding whether their question was worth answering. Finally, he turned back to the duel and said, "Nope."

The abruptness of his response caught both kids by surprise. They looked at each other, then back at him. "What do you mean?" Dan asked.

This time when Skyler looked at them, it was with irritation. "I mean exactly what I say. No, I currently have no desire to obtain these duelists' Numbers."

"Then why are you here?" Leah countered.

"If you must know, I'm here to observe their Numbers." Skyler replied. "There are certain Numbers that I'm looking for, and I'm here to see if either of these two duelists has one. If one of them does, that's when I'll strike." He looked down at Dan. "I've already ascertained that you don't have a Number that I'm looking for."

Dan started to question him, but Skyler had turned back to the duel before he could. Meanwhile, Matt was continuing his play. "I activate the effect of Heishi! Once per turn, I can banish any number of Spell Cards from either Graveyard, then increase this card's Level by an equal amount." Haydra's two previous Spell Cards, Preservation of Mantra and Mantra within the Corpse, shot out of his Graveyard. "Since I've banished two, Heishi gains two Levels."

**Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi: Level 4 **→** 6**

"Level six Soldier and Hunter, Overlay!" The two warriors morphed into purple amorphous masses and shot into the sky. Where they had been, a galaxy portal appeared. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two monsters spiralled down into the portal, which erupted with light. "Rise up! **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**!"

As a dark red fifty-one etched itself onto the back of Matt's right hand, a dull black sphere of metal rose out of the residue, with wicked-looking spikes sticking out of the sides. Streaks of red shot across the sphere, etching intricate patterns, and the sphere began to separate along them. Slowly, the sphere changed its shape - separating, reconnecting, and slowly changing - into the likeness of a warrior in pitch black armour. It wore no helmet, and was outlined with a red glow, which only made it look darker. The fearsome spikes were now attached to its shoulders. The creature stretched out its arms, its blood-red cape billowing out behind it, then reached behind it and drew its sword with a cry of war. The sword was split at the handle, so it appeared as two blades running up from the hilt. The blade itself was covered with runes, and the red number fifty-one was visible on the front of the monster's right shoulder. Its two purple Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

The moment Dark Excalibur appeared, Dan looked up at Skyler. The hunter shook his head in disappointment. "It seems your friend doesn't have one," he remarked.

Haydra took a step back. He was concerned by the presence of the Number, but didn't quite know what to make of it.

"Battle!" Matt declared. "Dark Excalibur, attack Sealed Beast Bronn!" With a battle-cry, the shadowy warrior dashed across the field and slashed at the reptile with all its might. Bronn gave an ear-splitting screech, and exploded violently. Haydra wasn't expecting the very real shockwaves that hit him, and he staggered backwards as though someone had punched him.

**Haydra LP:** 2700 → 2600

The unfortunate man gasped as his Number asserted its control once again. _"Number 51…" _it snarled. _"I'll look forward to slaying you. I activate the Trap Card, Beast-Concealed Mantra!" _One of Haydra's two Trap Cards activated. _"Due to this card, when a Sealed Beast monster I control is destroyed, I can add another copy of Sealed Mantra from my Deck to my hand." _He extracted a second copy of his key Spell Card from his Deck, and placed it in his hand.

"It doesn't matter." Matt stated. "I activate **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**'s effect. When it destroys a monster by battle, I can detach one of its Overlay Units to give it a second attack." Dark Excalibur hadn't left Haydra's field, but had instead remained right in front of him, towering over him. One of the purple orbs broke orbit and was absorbed into the twin-bladed sword. Dark red runes lit up along its length.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

"What?" His opponent cried, and just for a split second, Matt could hear both Haydra and the Number, both voicing their disbelief.

"Dark Excalibur, direct attack!" The dark Number lifted its sword to deal the finishing blow-

"I activate the Trap Card, Half Shield!" The Trap card activated. "With this card, _any Battle Damage I take_ from this attack is _halved!" _The voices were so interlinked, Matt could no longer tell who was talking. A heart-shaped shield appeared between Haydra and Number 51. One half of the shield was made of metal, the other glass. Dark Excalibur's sword struck the shield with a clang. The sword was blocked, but some of the shockwaves still passed straight through the glass portion and knocked the man clean off his feet.

**Haydra LP:** 2600 → 1200

"Finally, I'll set one card. With that I end my turn." Matt declared as his face-down appeared.

The man got to his feet, breathing heavily. _"Human… you shall live to regret that! I swear it!" _the Number rasped, turning to face him. _"Enough of this foolishness, I shall deal with you myself! My turn, draw!" _It drew a card, and with a sense of dread, Matt realised that he was now dueling against a Number in more ways than one. _"I activate the Spell Card, One Day of Peace! Now both of us draw one card, but neither of us can inflict damage to each other for a while." _Both players drew, and Number 15's eyes widened as it viewed its card. _"Perfect! I'll set a monster and end my turn." _Number 15's face-down appeared.

"My turn, draw." Matt considered each of his options. There weren't many. _'Well, I can still destroy the monster, but that Spell effect is preventing me from inflicting damage, so I might as well preserve Excalibur's Overlay Unit for now.' _"Battle! Dark Excalibur, attack the face-down monster!" The Number crossed the distance quickly and slashed at the face-down. The creature was a scorpion-like monster with only two legs, and is quickly dissipated.

Sealed Beast Watsumu: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 800/DEF 700

_"Fool!" _Number 15 rasped. _"If Sealed Beast Watsumu is destroyed, I can return two other Level three or lower Sealed Beast monsters from my Graveyard to my hand. I'll bring back both of my Sealed Beast Nunuraos!" _The Number, still in control of Haydra's body, took the two cards back from its Graveyard.

Now Matt was starting to get worried. What was the Number planning? "I'll set one monster in face-down Defence Position… and I guess I end my turn then." His hidden monster appeared alongside Dark Excalibur.

_"And with that, One Day of Peace wears off, so we can both inflict damage again!" _Number 15 explained. _"My turn, draw! Just as I did before, since I control a face-up Sealed Mantra, I'll Special Summon both copies of Sealed Beast Nunurao from my hand!" _Both snake-like creatures appeared.

Sealed Beast Nunurao: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 2/ATK 500/DEF 800

Sealed Beast Nunurao: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 2/ATK 500/DEF 800

"_Next, by Tributing both of them, I Tribute Summon Sealed Beast Nibunu!" _The new monster that appeared was very different from the other Sealed Beasts. It was akin to a dinosaur, with arms, legs, a tail, and a strong jaw covered by a very sharp helmet.

Sealed Beast Nibunu: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2000

_"It's almost here! It's going to happen!"_ the Number said excitedly. _"I activate Nibunu's effect! When it's Summoned, I can Special Summon another Sealed Beast monster from my Graveyard! I choose Sealed Beast Bronn!" _The reptile with a skeletal hand for a face – the one that Matt had destroyed two turns ago – was revived to stand alongside Nibunu.

Sealed Beast Bronn: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2100

Matt gasped as he realised what was coming.

_"Are you ready for this, human?"_ Number 15 asked mockingly. _"Are you ready to taste defeat? Excellent, because it comes for you now! Level eight Sealed Beast Nibunu and Sealed Beast Bronn, Overlay!"_

* * *

Author-made cards:

Soldier of Eoseuleum - Heishi  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1500  
Once per turn: You can banish any number of Spell Cards from the Graveyard; this card gains 1 Level for each card banished until the End Phase.

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys a monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

* * *

**Fun Fact #20: For those of you wondering, yes we did make all the Sealed Beast monsters DARK Reptile-Type monsters. They were never given Types or Attributes in the manga, so we took a rough guess at what they could be, and this was the best option we came up with.**

**Fun Fact #21: Apparently, the admins of the YCM Wiki are considering letting people post fanfics on that site. If they do, then we'll be doing that faster than you can say 'Albatross'. Whether they decide to allow it or not, all of our stories will still be posted on this site first. This site is better than a Wiki in so many ways.**


	7. Curse of the Sealed Mantra 3

**Matt LP:** 3200

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 1 OLU**

1 set monster

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 1 set card

**Haydra LP:** 1200

Sealed Beast Nibunu: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2000

Sealed Beast Bronn: Reptile-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 2100

Spell & Trap Card Zone: Sealed Mantra, Barrier of the Ancient Writings

_"Are you ready for this, human?"_ Number 15 asked mockingly. _"Are you ready to taste defeat? Excellent, because it comes for you now! Level eight Sealed Beast Nibunu and Sealed Beast Bronn, Overlay!" _Like Matt's monsters had earlier, both Sealed Beasts turned fully purple and shot upwards, away from a galaxy-style portal that opened beneath them. _"I use these two DARK Attribute monsters to construct MY Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" _The two materials sailed in, and the portal exploded with light. _"Arise! __**Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin**__!"_

The dark purple number fifteen flashed above the field like a bolt of lightning. Up out of the portal rose a scaly, leathery egg. It was grey with purple and black streaks running across it. A massive crack rent the egg down the middle, and huge pieces of it fell away. From out of the egg oozed… something, a smiley substance that could only be described as liquid shadows. More and more pieces of the egg shattered, slowly revealing a colossal reptile-like creature coiled up inside. Slowly, the creature extricated itself from the egg, and rose up to its full height, levitating several feel off the ground. Its skin was the same colour and texture of the egg. It had a spikey snake-like body, with six clawed arms, the head and face of a demonic fox, and a huge structure that could've been a helmet, hair, or even a protrusion of its skull. Two purple Overlay Units orbited the horrifying creature.

**Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin: Reptile-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 8/ATK 2800/DEF 2300 – 2 OLU**

Matt took a step back, a portion of his old fear for the Numbers returning to him. This thing was a physical manifestation of nightmares. And he had to fight it? To beat it?

_"Behold, the splendour of my true form!" _Number 15 cried ecstatically, still speaking through Matt's opponent. _"Isn't it marvellous? Isn't it splendid? Although, like the other Sealed Beasts, my true form cannot unleash its true power without first satisfying a few… conditions." _Number 15 raised its arms, and the monster behind it mimicked the movement with all six of its arms. _"Fuinshin's effect activates. By sending two face-up Continuous Cards I control to my Graveyard, Fuinshin's true power can be unleashed." _Both Sealed Mantra and Barrier of the Ancient Writings dissipated from Haydra's field.

Leah frowned. "That's a pain," she said. "That effect sends instead of destroying, so Barrier of the Ancient Writings doesn't prevent it."

Dan nodded in agreement. Then, remembering something, he looked back at Skyler. "So, is that the Number you were after?"

The rogue hunter was silent for a moment, still watching the Number. Then he spoke. "Maybe... maybe not... I haven't decided yet." Dan opened his mouth to ask what he meant, then thought better of it. If Skyler had wanted them to know his plans, he would've told them already.

_"Battle!"_ Number 15 rasped. _"Fuinshin, attack Dark Excalibur with your newfound power, and tear it to shreds!" _The demonic reptile floated forwards, stretching out its arms as if to hug the warrior.

"Eh? What's the point?" Matt asked. "They have the same ATK and they're both Numbers, so they'll destroy each other."

_"You're too naïve, human," _Number 15 replied. _"Due to its newfound abilities, Fuinshin cannot be destroyed by any battle, regardless of whether it's battling a Number or not." _

With dismay, Matt realised his monster was doomed and braced himself for the explosion, but Number 15 wasn't finished yet.

_"Fuinshin's effect activates! By detaching one of its Overlay Units and banishing a Continuous Card from my Graveyard, I can reduce the ATK of the attack target to zero!" _The creature paused in mid-air as it grabbed an Overlay Unit between its teeth and chewed it up. While this was happening, the Sealed Mantra Spell Card flew out of Haydra's Graveyard. Then, Fuinshin spat a huge globule of slime at Dark Excalibur, which glued it in place and restricted its movements.

**Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 2800 **→** 0**

_"Devour it, Fuinshin!" _The reptilian creature fell on the warrior with a savage cry of joy. What happened next was concealed from view, but it must've been pretty gruesome, as the warrior was crying out in agony as the opposing Number devoured it. Finally, the reptilian Number rose up to its full height again. Dark Excalibur was gone, as was its remaining Overlay Unit. Suddenly, with blinding speed, the reptile whipped its tail around and struck Matt, and he screamed in pain as he was thrown several feet back. He landed hard, winded, struggling to stand up.

**Matt LP:** 3200 → 400

Number 15 grinned – a wide, demented, teethy grin. _"We're not done here, human. I activate the Spell Card, Dark World Lightning, which will destroy your face-down monster at the cost of one card from my hand." _A bolt of black lightning shot from the Spell card and struck the set monster. It was Familiar Knight, and it was destroyed instantly. Number 15 discarded its second copy of Sealed Mantra. _"With that, I end my turn." _

With a great effort, Matt managed to stagger to his feet. His resolve was wavering fast. _'I've already used basically everything I have against this thing, and I still couldn't beat it,' _he thought in despair. _'Is there anything left I can do…?'_

A movement caught Leah's eye. She turned to see Skyler leap down from his vantage point. Dan noticed it too, and the two of them spun around to face him, ready to fight him off if necessary. But Skyler simply started walking away, towards the exit.

"Hey," Leah called, and he stopped. "Are you leaving?"

Skyler turned back to face them. "I'm assuming that you're asking out of curiosity, rather than a desire for me to stay." The kids were struck dumb by that retort. "The reason that I'm leaving is that I've seen everything I need to see. Neither of these two have the Numbers that I desire."

"But what are the Numbers you desire?" Dan demanded.

Once again, Skyler viewed them with that aloof expression, as if deciding whether to bother answering or not. Then he shrugged. "Very well, I shall tell you. The only Numbers I desire are the strong Numbers. The ones I can use to complete my mission, the ones that cannot be beaten!" Without another word, he left, leaving a slightly enlightened but still very confused pair of kids behind.

"It's my turn, draw." With a start, they remembered that they were supposed to be showing support Matt. They turned back to the duel as Matt began his turn.

In that brief time period between receiving the attack and starting his turn, Matt had had an epiphany. He'd discovered a possible way of taking that thing down. The method was so obvious that he almost laughed. "I Normal Summon Dododo Warrior." An armoured warrior with a long beard and a large battle-axe took to the field.

Dododo Warrior: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 2300/DEF 900

"Dododo Warrior can be Normal Summoned from my hand without Tributing, but if I do, this its ATK is reduced to 1800."

Dododo Warrior: ATK 2300 → 1800

"Next I activate the Spell Card, Monster Reborn, to revive a monster from either Graveyard." The famous Spell Card appeared. "I choose to revive Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi!" The black-armoured knight took to the field once again.

**Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1500**

_"What's the point?" _The enemy Number rasped. _"I've already destroyed your Number - your strongest card! You have nothing left! Nothing!"_

"I disagree." Matt said flatly, in no mood to bandy about words. "I activate Heishi's effect, to banish any number of Spell Cards from the Graveyard and gain one Level for each one. I banish Monster Reborn from my Graveyard and Sealed Mantra from yours." The two Spell Cards shot out of their owner's Graveyards, and Number 15 growled in irritation as the fuel to his monster's effect disappeared.

**Soldier of Eoseuleum – Heishi: Level 4 **→** 6**

Matt breathed heavily, trying to psyche himself up to the task ahead. He was about to do something he hadn't done before, and it scared the hell out of him. No matter how hard he tried, the memories of that day – the day his Number had destroyed everything – wouldn't leave him alone. They tortured him constantly. But now they were especially prevalent.

"Hey! Hey, Matt!" Someone was calling out to him. He turned to see Leah and Dan, both still standing there. It was Leah who had shouted. "Whatever you have to do, do it!" she called. "There's no need to be scared! Just dive in!" Matt felt like hugging her. Dan said nothing, but instead gave the thumbs up and nodded, willing Matt to go on. They must've realised what he was trying to do.

With newfound resolve, Matt turned back to the demented Number. "Ready for this?" he asked calmly.

_"Stop stalling human!" _Number 15 growled. _"You've wasted enough of my time already! Just go!"_

Matt grinned. After receiving such encouragement from Leah, he was in a pretty good mood. "Level six Heishi and Dododo Warrior, Overlay!" The two monsters turned fully purple and orange respectively, then shot upwards. Below them, a galaxy-shaped portal opened. This one, however, seemed to have raging water swirling just outside the galaxy's borders. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two monsters spiralled into the portal, and particles of light and water erupted out of it. "Rise up from the depths! **Number 36: Mermonstrosity**!"

The pale blue number thirty-six flashed across the field, and etched itself onto Matt's left hand. Out of the portal rose a giant mess of armour, slime and scales, loosely held together with clumps of seaweed. Slowly, the seaweed started to dissolve, and the monster sealed within the monstrous mass began to shift and push against its restraints. As more of the seaweed disappeared, more of the monster began to become visible: a frilled tail, and armoured midriff, a green muscular torso… with a cry, the monster freed itself and shook its head. It was some kind of hideous merman. It wore a helmet, but that did nothing to hide its inhuman and frankly horrific face. It also wore a metal collar, with three broken chains trailing from it. Finally, in addition to its two muscular arms, there were also two tentacles stretching out of its shoulders, each ending in a strange orange claw. Two blue Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 36: Mermonstrosity: Beast-Warrior-Type/Xyz/WATER/Level 6/ATK 3000/DEF 2200 – 2 OLU**

Number 15 took a step back, suddenly fearful. _"Impossible… a second Number…" _behind it, Fuinshin seemed to shrink back from the merman. Fuinshin was far bigger than Mermonstrosity, but when combined with Matt's personality, Number 36 seemed to be giving off an impressive presence.

Matt shook his head. "No, it's not enough. I hate to say it, but this still isn't enough." He stated. Number 15 looked at him in surprise. "Even this Number isn't strong enough to defeat that monster."

The demented Number laughed maniacally. _"Indeed human, because Fuinshin currently cannot be destroyed by battle by anything, Number or not. Give it up! All you've succeeded in doing is providing a big target for me to destroy on my next-"_

"Perhaps I should amend that statement." Matt interrupted. "Mermonstrosity alone isn't enough to destroy Fuinshin. In other words, to finish you off for good, Mermonstrosity is going to need some help from my first Number!"

* * *

Author-made cards:

Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin  
Reptile-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 8/ATK 2800/DEF 2300  
2 Level 8 DARK monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. You can send 2 face-up Continuous Spell/Trap Cards you control to the Graveyard; this face-up card on the field gains these effects. ●This card cannot be destroyed by battle. During either player's Damage Step, when this card battles a monster: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card and banish 1 Continuous Spell/Trap Card from your Graveyard; until the end of the Damage Step, the attack target's ATK becomes 0, and both the attack target and this card are unaffected by Spell/Trap effects.

Number 36: Mermonstrosity  
Beast-Warrior-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 6/ATK 3000/DEF 2200  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Effect Monsters' effects.

* * *

**Fun Fact #22: There were a few ways we could think of to end this duel. The one we've decided on really warrants its own chapter, which is why the duel did not conclude in this chapter, even though it probably could've.**

**Fun Fact #23: Don't worry, Skyler will return. Sooner than you think.**

**Fun Fact #24: We struggled quite a bit with Fuinshin. We felt that it would've been fitting to have its effect require you to send Sealed Mantra to the Graveyard, but we eventually decided against it, because that would conflict with the iron-hard rule of this world.  
**

**Fun Fact #25: Hey, hey, hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, ****listen, ****hey, ****hey, ****hey, **guess what? Another _Ultra-Subtle Foreshadowing hint_! Just up there. To the left. No, my left, not your left...  



	8. Curse of the Sealed Mantra 4

**Matt LP:** 400

**Number 36: Mermonstrosity: Beast-Warrior-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 6/ATK 3000/DEF 2200 – 2 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 1 set card

**Haydra LP:** 1200

**Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin: Reptile-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 8/ATK 2800/DEF 2300 – 1 OLU**

_"What do you mean 'getting help from your first Number'?" _Number 15 snarled. _"I already destroyed that Number! It's gone! It's done! How do you expect this one to do any better on its own?"_

"Like I just said," Matt retorted, "it won't be on its own. I activate the Trap Card, Xyz Soul!" Matt's Trap Card from last turn activated. "With this, I can target one Xyz Monster in my Graveyard, and increase the ATK of all monsters I control by 200 times that target's Rank, and as a bonus, that target then returns to the Extra Deck. I target **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**!" His Graveyard zone lit up, and the Number card was spat out. "Excalibur is a Rank six monster, so Mermonstrosity gains 1200 ATK!" Waves of light pulsed from the Trap Card and surrounded the merman, upping its ATK. At the same time, the dark red number fifty-one etched itself onto the side of the merman's face.

**Number 36: Mermonstrosity: ATK 3000 **→** 4200**

_"Impossible!" _Number 15 cried, beginning to hear the first faint calls of defeat.

"I disagree." Matt said calmly. "Go, Mermonstrosity, attack **Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin**!" With a battle-cry, the tentacles on the merman's shoulders shot out and blinding speed, and the orange claw-like things latched onto the enemy Number. Fuinshin thrashed around as the tentacles began to drag it closer.

_"You won't beat me, human! No-one can beat me!" _Number 15 screamed. _"I activate Fuinshin's effect! By detaching one of its Overlay Units and banishing Barrier of the Ancient Writings from my Graveyard, your monster's ATK is reduced to zero." _Fuinshin snapped up its final Overlay Unit, chewing on it furiously as it was dragged across the field.

**Number 15: Sealed Horror Fuinshin: 1 **→** 0 OLU**

"I wouldn't have bothered." Matt told it.

_"What?"_

"You probably should've checked Mermonstrosity's effect before making such a move. Now all you've done is waste everyone's time." Matt saw Number 15 was confused, so he explained. "Mermonstrosity is unaffected by any Effect Monster's effects. So Fuinshin cannot reduce its ATK."

As he said this, the giant reptile spat a globule of slime at Mermonstrosity, but something halted it in mid-air, and it fell into a revolting but harmless puddle on the floor. Both the Number-possessed human and the Number itself stared at the slime, stunned. There was nothing more either of them could do.

"Finish it, Mermonstrosity!" The reptile was finally dragged into range of the merman; it had been completely unable to escape. Number 36 glared at the enemy Number, then lashed out with its tail. The scaly tail moved with blinding speed, and rent Fuinshin clean in two. The Reptile screeched – a horrible, high-pitched sound – and exploded violently. Haydra was thrown back, his own scream mixing with Number 15's voice.

**Haydra LP:** 1200 → 0

**Matt LP:** 400 [WINNER]

Matt was absolutely determined to retrieve this Number as quickly as possible. The tendrils of light were already extending from his band before the final claxon had sounded. They entered the fallen body of his opponent, who had already fallen unconscious. Feeling around inside the man's soul, Matt located the Number with ease and, without hesitating, gave the tendrils a tug, and they pulled the Number out of Haydra's soul and body. The Number took on its card form the moment it left the man's body, and the glowing symbol on his shoulder disappeared. Matt caught the card and examined it, making certain of what he'd retrieved.

With than done, he made his way over to Haydra, who was still lying there, completely unconscious.

"Nice one, buddy." Matt turned his head to see Dan and Leah coming over to congratulate him. He nodded in thanks, then turned back to Haydra. The others knelt down beside him. "So... what do we do with him?" Dan asked.

"We have to take him home," Leah said. "Maybe his family can figure out what to do with him."

"We don't know who his family is," Matt pointed out, "or if he even has one. Our best option is to contact the authorities and ask them to send an ambulance for him. They'll treat his mental issues as best they can, and they'll notify his family. It's the least we can do."

"It's the only thing we can do," Dan added. Matt turned on his D-Gazer and used it to call the EFR authorities, informing them of his location and the condition of the patient.

And because of this, all three kids failed to notice the alert that had been sent to them. An alert sent by Professor Usur only a few minutes before the duel had ended.

Another Number was on the loose.

James and Katie had received the alert, and were hurrying to the Number's location. But it was on the other side of the city, and a certain someone had gotten a head start on them. They might be too late...

*MEANWHILE*

"Hey, what're you... let go of me! Let go of me right now, or I'll make you sorry!"

The very shouty individual was a teenage boy named Shora. Standing opposite him several feet away was a young man in a grey trench coat. The two of them were attached to each other by a long, glowing rope that had appeared out of nowhere and joined the two of them by the wrist. The 'rope' seemed to be made purely out of energy, and no matter how hard Shora pulled, he couldn't escape. So he'd resorted to shouting.

"I said let go!" he cried, giving another almighty tug.

Skyler examined the rope with mild satisfaction, completely ignoring the loud teenager. "So, my duel anchor is up and working again. Excellent." The anchor disappeared from sight, but Shora could still feel it, tight around his wrist. Skyler then addressed him directly. "Right, here's how this is going to work. You're going to duel me. Until then, you won't escape. Am I clear?"

Shora considered running over and punching the man out cold, but something inside him disagreed. Something inside him was egging him on, telling him to duel... "Alright, I'll accept your challenge, old man."

Skyler nodded in satisfaction. He knew all too well that Number holders could never refuse a challenge. Both duelists prepared their dueling equipment and linked their D-Gazers. The augmented reality field rose up, giving everything an electronic green tinge.

_"AR Vision – link established."_

"DUEL!"

**Shora LP:** 4000

**Skyler LP:** 4000

"I'll kick things off, I draw!" Shora said assertively. Skyler made no move to stop him as he drew his card. "I activate the Spell Card, Soul of Fire! With this card, you can draw one card, but then I banish a Pyro-Type monster from my Deck, and you take damage equal to half its ATK." Skyler drew his card as Shora was searching through his Deck. "I'll banish Flame Cerberus! Its ATK is 2100, so you take half of that as damage. That's 1050 big ones!" A wave of fire shot out and struck Skyler in the chest. He staggered back – his duel anchor dragging his opponent with him – but managed to stay on his feet.

**Skyler LP:** 4000 → 2950

"Stand still, you clumsy idiot!" Shora complained. "Next I'll use another Spell Card, D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation!" His Equip Spell activated where Soul of Fire had been. "By discarding one card, this card brings back one of my banished monsters! I'll revive Flame Cerberus!" Shora discarded Hazy Flame Hyppogrif, and in return, the Spell Card brought the three-headed flaming dog back to the field.

Flame Cerberus: Pyro-Type/FIRE/Level 6/ATK 2100/DEF 1800

"And now another Spell Card, Rekindling! This card revives all FIRE monsters with exactly 200 DEF from my Graveyard. Be revived, Hazy Flame Hyppogrif!" A phoenix-like creature materialized. It had the back half of a lion's body, massive talons on its front legs, and wings wreathed in fire.

Hazy Flame Hyppogrif: Pyro-Type/FIRE/Level 6/ATK 2100/DEF 200

Shora grinned widely. "But I'm not keeping either of them! Level six Cerberus and Hyppogrif, Overlay!" The two monsters morphed into bright red amorphous masses and shot upwards. The Equip Spell Card D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation shattered as its target disappeared. On Shora's field, a galaxy-style portal opened. "I use these two non-LIGHT Attribute monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The portal exploded, and torrents of fire poured out of the rift, consuming Shora's field. "Appear! **Number 39: Ignite-Mare**!"

The yellow number thirty-nine etched itself onto the back of Shora's hand. Out of the portal rose a column of fire and magma. Once it reached its full height, the column began to dip in sections, almost mechanically. Certain sections stopped before others, and it quickly became apparent that they'd stopped because they'd reached an impasse – there was something inside the flames. As the fire and lava fell away, the likeness of a terrifying creature – a demonic horse – was revealed. Slowly, it trotted out of its flaming prison. Its mane flickered with flames, and its soulless eyes stared at Skyler, who stared back dispassionately. Two red Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 39: Ignite-Mare: Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 6/ATK 2750/DEF 2700 – 2 OLU**

"Haha, impressive, isn't it? With that I end my turn!"

Skyler stood there for a few more moments, just looking at the Number. Then he shook his head in disappointment. "Not this one either... why does no-one have strong Numbers in this accursed city?" he muttered to himself.

"Hey, what're you muttering about over there?" Shora shouted. "You're the one who wanted to duel, so get on with it!"

Skyler sighed. "Fine. My turn, draw. I Special Summon Solar Wind Jammer." A purple spearheaded space ship appeared, with two clumps of solar panels sticking out from either side like sails.

Solar Wind Jammer: Machine-Type/LIGHT/Level 5/ATK 800/DEF 2400

"You see, Solar Wind Jammer can be Special Summoned from my hand if I control no monsters," Skyler explained wearily. "But if I do, then its original ATK and DEF are cut in half."

Solar Wind Jammer: ATK 800 → 400/DEF 2400 → 1200

"Next I Normal Summon Sonic Jammer." The green metallic insect appeared alongside the purple shuttle.

Sonic Jammer: Machine-Type/WIND/Level 2/ATK 350/DEF 650

"I activate the Spell Card, Tannhäuser Gate!" Skyler's Spell Card appeared, its image depicting Solar Wind Jammer plus another unidentified monster. "With this card, I target two monsters I control, and change each of their Levels to equal the sum of both of their Levels." He saw Shora looking at him in confusion. "I see maths isn't your strongest point, so I'll explain it simply. Sonic Jammer is Level two. Solar Wind Jammer is Level five. Two plus five equals seven. That means, both my monsters become Level seven monsters." The Spell Card flashed and gave off radiant particles of light, which surrounded the two monsters.

Solar Wind Jammer: Level 5 → 7

Sonic Jammer: Level 2 → 7

"Level seven Solar Wind Jammer and Sonic Jammer, Overlay!" The two machines turned fully yellow and green respectively, then shot upwards. A sudden wind whipped up as a galaxy-shaped portal appeared, like a celestial tornado. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Xyz Material Monsters flew into the portal, which exploded. As light erupted from it, there was a colossal, ear-splitting bang, as though the air itself was being rent apart. Shora covered his ears and screamed in agony - a scream that couldn't be heard.

And even over such a noise, Skyler's voice still echoed. "Come forth! **Number 25: Sonicboom Dragon**!"

*TEN MINUTES LATER*

Both James and Katie knew they were too late.

When they were only a short distance away from the duel, they had seen the augmented reality fade away, and knew the duel was over. Now, they entered the park where the duel had been, to see Skyler standing beside his unconscious opponent, breathing heavily. His left hand was clutching his right robotic one, and his right hand was clutching a card. A Number card.

"Skyler!" James gasped, stopping a few feet away. "Not you again!"

Wearily, the rogue hunter turned to face them. "Ah, the other Deltas, welcome. I had the pleasure of meeting with your friends just a few moments ago."

"You met the others?" James asked. "Are they ok? Did they find their Number? Or did you get there first?"

Skyler held up his hands. "Alas, they got to the holder before I did, and your leader, Matt, was still engaged in his duel when I left. I do not know the result."

James grunted in response. Katie, however, was examining the downed Number holder Skyler had dueled. He had numerous bruises all over his body – about what you'd expect from a duel with the Numbers. The thing she found unusual was the blood seeping from somewhere around his head…

"His ears!" she cried, and both men turned to look at her. "His ears are bleeding! What could've-" her face lit up with realisation, and she rounded on Skyler. "What did you do to him?"

"Me personally, nothing. My Numbers, perhaps a lot." Skyler stated, pocketing the Number he'd just extracted. "Now if that's all, I really must be on my way." Before either of them could stop him, he turned and walked briskly towards the exit of the park. Katie started to go after him, but James put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Katie forced herself to calm down and stay where she was – James was right, they couldn't abandon the boy.

Instead, she watched him go with pure fury. "Skyler... I swear I'll get you for this..."

* * *

Author-made cards:

Number 39: Ignite-Mare  
Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 6/ATK 2750/DEF 2700  
2 Level 6 non-LIGHT monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell/Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card, then target 1 monster you control; if it inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent by a direct attack this turn, your opponent discards all cards in their hand.

* * *

**Fun Fact #26: Yes, we're including Ignite-Mare's stats in this chapter, because it'll most likely never be played again. No, we're not including Sonicboom Dragon's stats. Yes, it will be revealed later. No, not necessarily in this story. Yes, we do love messing with you.**

**Fun Fact #27: We recently made the bold decision to separate all of our Numbers from other people's Numbers on the YCM Wiki. In short, we gave them their own template. This template can be found by searching the YCM Wiki for any of our Numbers that have appeared thus far in the fanfic. The template for our Numbers is directly below the regular Number template, and is entitled "Numbers (Rebster6)".**

**Fun Fact #28: The word Fuinshin comes from the word 'fuin' meaning seal or sealed, and the word 'shin' meaning god or diety.**


	9. James' day out 1

**Note: This story takes place directly after Yu-Gi-Oh! Delta: Frostbite.**

* * *

"I just don't understand, James," Matt was saying in exasperation. "What's your problem?"

"You! You're my problem!" James shouted back. "You're supposed to be our leader, but ever since the day we met you, you've been nothing but rude, unsupportive, and generally a complete jerk!"

"What're you talking about?" Matt replied, starting to lose his patience. "I've really been making the effort with you guys."

"You are now, but barely! And what about the day you fought Mizutsu, huh? And what about the days before that? You're a jerk, Matt! Our team shouldn't be led by a jerk!"

"I was scared at that time!" Matt gasped. "You can't blame me for that! Besides, didn't you say you forgave me that day?"

"I forgave you, yes! But I never forgot!" James shouted.

"It doesn't sound like you've forgiven me at all!" Matt shouted, finally raising his voice. "It sounds like you're still caught up on what happened back then, while everyone else has accepted my apology and moved on!"

"You know what; maybe I am still caught up on it!" James snarled, slamming his fist against a nearby wall. "Maybe I am! And maybe you should've been a better friend from the beginning! Then maybe we wouldn't be at this point! You think?"

James and Matt weren't on their own. The three other Deltas were sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen of their apartment, picking at their food and watching the two of them argue. "This is ridiculous," Dan whispered to the two girls, "this is their fifth fight this week. I just don't understand what's got James so upset."

"I'll be honest: neither do I," Katie said. "It's true that Matt was rude when we first met him, but he's really made an effort now. James must still be caught up on how he used to act, even though we've all moved on."

Leah put her fork down and ran a hand over the welts on her neck, a habit she'd gotten into ever since she'd been attacked by an angry Number hunter a couple of days ago. "Hey Katie, can't you say something to him?"

"I've tried," she replied. "He acts like he's sorry and that he was just in a bad mood and all that, then he just does it again the very next opportunity."

Dan slapped Leah's hands away from her neck. She grinned guiltily at him, then jumped as James punched the wall again.

"And to top everything off, we now have two enemies to deal with! Two! Skyler and Doctor Lithon!" he shouted.

"How the hell can you make that out to be my fault?" Matt asked.

"You're our leader! You should have a plan to deal with them!" James shouted. "If you don't have one, then you're a lousy leader! And if you do have one, then you're still a lousy leader for keeping it from us all this time!"

"I don't have any plan, and I'm not pretending to!" Matt shouted, exasperated. "If I had any ideas, any plans to make our situation better, you know I would share them with you straight away!"

James snorted with disgust. "Hmph, some leader you are."

"Why don't you just come out and say it?" Matt snapped. "It's not that you don't like my past actions, or that you don't like my leadership techniques! The truth's actually a lot simpler! You just don't like me! I'm right, aren't I?"

James was silent for a moment, breathing heavily, glaring at Matt all the while. The other three Deltas were also very quiet – they were curious to see what James would say next. Would he confirm or deny it?

Finally, James spoke. "You know what? I think you're right," he growled. "I hate the way you lead our team, I hate the person you once were, I hate the person you are now... I hate everything about you!" He gestured at the other three. "Not to mention you're a lousy Number hunter! You have less Numbers that either Dan or my girlfriend, and you're supposed to be the strongest out of all of us! Hell, Dan's even fought two enemy Number hunters and won both times! Can you make that claim?"

Matt glared back for a moment before replying in a deceptively calm voice. "If it's ok with you, I'm going to choose not to take Number hunting advice from someone who's too scared to duel." James' eyes widened. "James, you speak down to me, you berate me for things that happened in the past, and things that I have no power to change, but at least I'm doing something! At least I'm making an effort to make sure we succeed in saving people from the Number plague! At least I'm playing my part! You're doing nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

James was at a loss for words. He just stared at Matt, outrage blazing in his eyes. Matt watched him defiantly, daring him to refute the accusation. The entire apartment was silent. Then James stomped over to the door, grabbed his jacket and his rucksack, slung them over his shoulder, and yanked the door open.

"Hey James, where're you going?" Leah dared to ask.

James paused in the doorway, his back to them. "I'm going for a walk," he muttered. Then he slammed the door shut behind him.

Matt let out a long sigh and slumped back into a chair, frustrated and weary with the constant bickering. The other three went over to see if he was okay. Leah rested a hand on his shoulder. "You alright, Matt?" He nodded, not looking at her.

Dan, meanwhile, was talking to Katie. "I've just had a bad thought," he was saying. "You don't think his band could be malfunctioning, do you?"

Katie shook her head. "No, Professor Usur's men are monitoring them all the time: they'd notice straight away if there was even a slight issue with the bands."

"Then I'm at a loss," Dan said, shaking his head. "I hate talking badly about your boyfriend, Katie, but his behaviour is ridiculous. What on earth's gotten into him?"

She shook her head sadly. "I just don't know. There must be a reason..." Suddenly determined to talk to him, she bolted to the door and pulled it open. But it was too late, James had already gone.

*MEANWHILE*

James stepped into the sunlight feeling rotten. He didn't pay any attention to where he was going. He just started walking, his only thought to get away from the apartment for a little while.

As he walked, he tried to untangle his thoughts and examine his feelings logically, but it was like trying to untangle a set of earphones that had been left in his pocket – it was physically impossible to untangle them, and only made him more frustrated the more he tried. Irritated, he kept walking.

He found himself walking down to a pathway that ran alongside a river, and he vaguely recalled that Dan and Leah had received their Numbers somewhere similar to this. But this… this area was very familiar to him. This was where him and Katie would come to take a walk when they needed a break from everything, and just wanted to be alone with each other.

_'Well, it'll give me some time to think…' _he mused, and set off along the path towards the outskirts of the city.

*SOME TIME LATER*

A peaceful walk and a relaxed mind had allowed James a certain clarity over his thoughts, which in turn allowed him to critically examine his actions this morning. He wasn't proud of them. He'd been shouting at Matt all morning, not to mention the numerous arguments the past few days, and he was only now starting to realise that he was being an idiot.

"I've been arguing with him over nothing..." he muttered to himself. "Matt isn't a bad leader, or a bad person..." The moment he said that out loud to himself, he was overcome with guilt. Matt hadn't deserved any of what James had said to him. It had been James' own temper getting the best of him, and he'd taken it out on the first person he'd come to.

But what made things even worse was that James knew why he was acting this way. He knew what was causing him to lash out at Matt. It was a simple feeling that could be summed up with a single word.

Inadequacy.

He felt totally useless. In the past few months, he'd seen Matt, Leah, Dan, and even his own girlfriend throw themselves into the Number hunt with everything they had. He had seen them all duel at least once: they duelled without fear of losing, without fear of injury, and with a sense of purpose that he envied. They duelled to save people from the Numbers, and that made them duel with all their hearts.

He, on the other hand, had done nothing. The only contribution he'd made to the Number hunt was his own Number – which wasn't exactly a great claim, seeing as the others had also contributed their own Numbers, in addition to collecting at least another two Numbers each.

To make matters worse, he knew he couldn't help even if he wanted to. He'd seen the others duel plenty of times, and from those duels, one thing had become apparent – he was the weakest of the five. Every single other member of Team Delta was a stronger duelist than he was, and he knew he couldn't compete with their performances. Numbers and their holders were just too strong. He didn't know why Professor Usur had decided to hire him onto the team, but it didn't matter – the Professor had made a mistake in doing so. James was utterly useless.

_'That's why I've been lashing out at Matt,' _he realised. _'I was too scared and ashamed to point the finger at myself, so I pointed it the next easiest target…' _He clenched his fist. _'That guy… he's had such a hard time with the Numbers up to this point, and just when he's finally getting into the swing of things and becoming friends with us, I go and do something like this… what kind of friend am I?'_

Thoroughly miserable, he slumped down onto the grassy embankment and buried his face in his hands.

* * *

**Fun Fact #29: Welcome to James' time in the spotlight. We know that at least a few of you knew this was coming eventually. Well here it is. Enjoy.**

**Fun Fact #30: The reason we're including this story in the Filler Collection is because, while it does involve plenty of characterisation, it doesn't actually advance the plot at all. Though you do get to see James' Number at last, which is something.**


	10. James' day out 2

A light tap on James' shoulder startled him out of his mourning. He looked up to see a boy of about twelve staring at him. "You okay mister?" he asked.

James nodded, struggling to get the words out. "Yeah... yeah, kid, I'm fine." At that point, James would've settled back into his thoughts and let the kid go on his way, but unfortunately for him the kid had spotted the Deck box fastened around his waist.

"Hey mister, you're a duelist, aren't you?" he said with a grin.

"I guess..." James really wasn't in the mood to deal with this excitable little kid. "Look, kid, I know-"

"Edward!" the boy interrupted. "My name's Edward."

"Whatever," James said. "Look, Edward, I'm not exactly in the best of moods right now, so can't you just run along and bother someone else?"

But Edward was having none of it. "If you're a duelist, then you have to accept my challenge!" he declared.

"Challenge?"

"That's right! I'm going around challenging as many adults as I can find to a duel." Edward explained. "Then when I beat them, it proves that I'm just as strong as a grown up! And my mum told me that if you're a true duelist, then then you have to accept any challenge, no matter who makes it, where it's made, or when it's made."

"Yeah, well no-one ever accused me of being a true duelist," James grunted, before standing up from his bench. "Listen kid, I'm not interested in any challenge, or any special gauntlet you're trying to drag me into. Now please leave me alone." He turned and began walking back the way he'd come, towards the city centre. However, he'd only gone a few steps before he became aware of Edward walking in time beside him. He stopped dead. "Are you following me?" he asked.

Edward nodded cheerfully. "Yep! And I'll keep following you until you accept my challenge."

"Sorry kid, that's never going to happen," James replied, and carried on walking with the boy beside him. Slowly, his mind began to drift back to the question he'd been pondering for quite a while before Edward had interrupted him: how could be make things right with Matt? He would definitely have to apologize, but the main question was how. How could he sum up everything he'd done wrong and everything horrible he-

"Where're we going?"

Once again, James' thoughts were interrupted by the kid, who was still walking alongside him, staring at him with a wide, expectant grin. James gritted his teeth and, doing his best to ignore Edward, began to try and formulate the apology in his head. He wondered if he should buy Matt a gift…

"What sort of Deck do you use?"

...but then decided against it. It would make him look cheap and desperate, as though he was trying to buy Matt back. There was also...

"Hey mister!"

...there was also the question of how the others would react. Would they...

"Hey! Hey mister!"

...simply accept an apology made to Matt, or would he have to apologize to each of them individually. Regardless, he decided to do that, because even though...

"Are you a good duelist?"

...even though he hadn't scorned any of them directly...

"What's your favourite card?"

...they had still endured a great deal of his bad tempers...

"Hey mister!"

...and at the very least...

"Do you use Mirror Force?"

...they deserved...

"Hey mister!"

Finally, James could take it no more. He rounded on the boy and started shouting at him. Now, James would never quite remember exactly what he shouted at the boy, owing mostly to his sheer frustration clouding his memories. But he did know that it was scathing, unwholesome, and generally rather rude. He also vaguely remembered it lasting for approximately a minute and a half.

After he'd finished his tirade, he stood there breathing heavily, watching Edward's tiny brain try to process all of the words he'd just heard, and marvelling at the fact that he hadn't been scared off.

Then, amazingly, Edward grinned. "So does that mean you accept my challenge? Does it? Does it?"

James would later realise that it was a minor miracle that he didn't end up punching the boy. As it was, he stood there, irritated beyond belief. This kid was pushing all the wrong buttons here.

"Yeah..." he said slowly. He certainly didn't want to be dueling right now, but at least this would allow him to vent some of his frustrations, and thankfully it would get this kid to leave him alone. "Yeah, alright kid, I'll duel you."

Edward's face lit up. "YES! Okay, let's start now!" James nodded in agreement, and reached into his rucksack to get his dueling equipment.

"Duel disk, set!" Both players retreated to a safe distance, and activated the duel disks affixed to their arms. "D-Gazer, set!" Both D-Gazers flashed on, and as if on cue, the augmented reality field rose up around them, giving their surroundings a green hue.

_"AR Vision – link established."_

"DUEL!"

**Edward LP:** 4000

**James LP: **4000

"I'll go first, I draw!" Edward declared, not waiting for James to argue. "I'll set one monster and end my turn." His face-down monster card materialized.

James was worried about losing, but not too much. After all, this kid didn't have a Number as far as he could tell, so he wasn't in any danger. "I Normal Summon Thunder King Rai-Oh." What appeared to be a blue piece of torso armour materialized, with electrodes floating on either side.

Thunder King Rai-Oh: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 800

"Battle! Thunder King Rai-Oh, attack the face-down monster!" Rai-Oh shot a bolt of lightning at the set monster, which flipped up to receive the attack. James briefly caught sight of a strange necromancer – a skeleton wearing a dark red cloak – before it was struck by the lightning and exploded.

Phantom Magician: Spellcaster-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 600/DEF 700

"I activate Phantom Magician's effect!" Edward declared. "When it's destroyed by battle, I can take any HERO monster from my Deck with 1000 attack points or less, and Special Summon it to my field in Defence Position." He sifted through his Deck eagerly, and picked out a single card. "I choose Vision HERO Vyon!" A white-armoured warrior appeared. It wore white gauntlets, and a white helmet with no eye or mouth hole visible. Instead, the only feature about the helmet was a single violet-coloured gem that sat directly in the middle of its face, in the crude imitation of a cyclops.

Vision HERO Vyon: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1200

"Now Vyon's effect activates." Edward said, obviously proud of his moves. "When it's Summoned, I can send any Level four of lower Vision HERO monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. I choose Vision HERO Increase!" He extracted the card from his Deck and sent it to the Graveyard.

"Vision HEROs..." James wondered, trying to remember everything he knew about them. The answer was basically nothing. "Oh well, I'll set one card and end my turn." His face-down appeared behind Rai-Oh.

"It's my turn, I draw. By discarding one Vision HERO monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand." Edward sent Vision HERO Minimum Ray from his hand to the Graveyard, then picked another from his hand to play. "Come on, Vision HERO Farris!" A new warrior took to the field. This warrior's armour was white and bronze, and it had massive metal clawed gloves on its hands, which looked like a mole's digging claws. It had the same cyclops-esque helmet, with a single red eye in the centre.

Vision HERO Farris: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 5/ATK 1600/DEF 1800

"And when this card is Summoned, I can send another Vision HERO monster from my Deck to my Graveyard." Edward explained.

With a gasp, James realised what Edward was trying to do. _'He's loading his Graveyard with Vision HEROs to gain some sort of effect,' _he thought. At that moment, he panicked and made a rash decision. "I activate Thunder King Rai-Oh's effect! By Tributing it, I can negate an opponent's inherent Special Summon and destroy the monster!" Rai-Oh dissipated, and the electrodes that had surrounded it fired one more blast of lightning at Farris, obliterating it where it stood.

Edward look confused. "Why did you do that?" he asked. "Your monster was stronger than mine. You didn't need to Tribute it to destroy something weaker than it."

"Never you mind, kid," James snapped, but he was actually kicking himself on the inside for being so hasty.

Edward shrugged. "Whatever, I activate the Spell Card, Tremendous Fire! With this card, you take 1000 damage, and I take 500 damage." The Spell launched a maelstrom of fire that engulfed both players.

**James LP:** 4000 → 3000

**Edward LP:** 4000 → 3500

"And now for my favourite part!" Edward said excitedly. "I activate the effects of Vision HERO Increase and Vision HERO Minimum Ray in my Graveyard." His Graveyard zone lit up, and a ghostly image of both cards appeared behind him. "If either of these monsters are in my Graveyard when I take damage, I can place them both in my Spell & Trap Card Zone." The two Monster Cards materialized face-up in his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Above each card, a ghostly apparition of its respective monster's head and torso appeared, surrounded by some sort of white, crackling energy.

"So that's what you were after." James said. "You wanted to fill your Graveyard with Vision HEROs, so you could put them all back on the field at once."

Edward nodded enthusiastically. "That's right. Now I activate the Spell Card, Vision Polymerization!" The new Spell Card appeared between the two Vision HERO cards. "With this card, I can fuse monsters with Vision in their names in my Spell & Trap Card Zone to form a new Fusion Monster. I fuse Vision HERO Minimum Ray with Vision HERO Increase!" Both Monster Cards dissipated into particles of light, which swirled into the Spell Card. "Fusion Summon! Appear, Vision HERO Adoration!" The card let of a burst of light, and out of it appeared another warrior. This one was all silver and black, with four coattails flapping from its waist, spiked shoulder pads, and a triangular gem directly in the centre of its forehead.

Vision HERO Adoration: Warrior-Type/Fusion/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2800/DEF 2100

James took a step back. "A Fusion Summon? Man, I thought I was the only one who uses those nowadays…"

"Next I'll switch Vision HERO Vyon to Attack Position!" Edward declared, altering the position of the card on his duel disk. Vyon stood up and cracked its knuckles, itching for battle. "Now go, Vision HERO Vyon! Direct attack!" The white-armoured warrior dashed forwards to strike James.

Once again in a panic, James responded rashly. "I activate the Trap Card, Call of the Haunted!" His Continuous Trap Card activated. "With this, I can revive a monster from my Graveyard! Reappear, Thunder King Rai-Oh!" The blue piece of armour flashed into view, hovering between James and the Vision HERO.

Thunder King Rai-Oh: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 800

Vyon stopped in its tracks and looked back at Edward, clearly not that eager to attack such a stronger monster.

"It's ok. Since the number of monsters on your field has changed, I can call a replay and stop my attack." Edward said, and Vyon somersaulted back onto Edward's field. "Go, Vision HERO Adoration, finish off Rai-Oh!" Adoration began to charge crackling red energy within the gem in its helmet. With a cry of triumph, it fired a red laser across the field. Rai-Oh was consumed and destroyed, and the laser went on to strike James in the chest. He gasped in pain and staggered back.

**James LP:** 3000 → 2100

"That ends my turn," Edward said proudly. It was clear that he was used to things going his way.

James tried to keep a level head as he began his move. "It's my turn, draw. I Normal Summon **Upwards Quarkonic**!" Out of the card flew a tiny yellow orb, no larger than an Overlay Unit. Miniscule little bolts of electricity ran across its surface. It settled onto James' field, and Edward stared at it, clearly unimpressed. Then he gasped as something appeared behind it. It was a ghost or spectre of some sort, and it was so translucent it was barely visible in the sunlight. However, he could make out what seemed to be a the top half of a demon's body – it was only from the waist up, so there were no visible legs – and the head of some sort of demonic horse. The entire monster was tinted yellow. It cupped its clawed hands around the yellow orb, not actually touching it, but guarding it possessively, almost tenderly.

**Upwards Quarkonic: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0**

"**Upwards Quarkonic**'s effect activates." James declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can add one copy of **Downwards Quarkonic** or one copy of **Hadronic Fusion** from my Deck to my hand. I choose the **Hadronic Fusion** Spell Card." His duel disk extracted the card, which he them placed straight into his Spell & Trap Card Zone. "Then I'll activate it! This card allows me to fuse monsters from my hand and field to form a new Fusion Monster with Hadronic in its name!"

"So you can Fusion Summon too?" Edward asked with rapt curiosity.

James nodded. "With this Spell, I fuse the **Upwards Quarkonic** on my field, with the **Upwards Quarkonic** and **Downwards Quarkonic** in my hand." He sent all three monsters to his Graveyard. The Monster Cards materialized on his field briefly, before breaking up into particles of light and being absorbed by the Spell Card. "Fusion Summon! Appear, **Hadronic Protonian**!" Out of the Spell Card flew another tiny orb of light, which settled into place on James' field. Behind it materialized another ghostly yellow creature. This one was even more terrifying than the last one. It had an incredibly muscular chest, four arms with clawed fingers at the end of each, and the same demonic horse head. This time, the horse had six eyes, positioned in columns of three on either side of its head. Like the previous incarnation, it cupped all four of its hands tenderly around the yellow orb, without actually touching it.

**Hadronic Protonian: Thunder-Type/Fusion/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0**

* * *

Author-made cards:**  
**

Upwards Quarkonic  
Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0  
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Downwards Quarkonic" or 1 "Hadronic Fusion" from your Deck to your hand.

Downwards Quarkonic  
Thunder-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0  
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Upwards Quarkonic" or 1 "Hadronic Fusion" from your Deck to your hand.

Hadronic Fusion  
Spell Card  
Send, from your hand or field to the Graveyard, Fusion Material Monsters listed on a "Hadronic" Fusion Monster, then Special Summon that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck (this Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon). If this card is in your Graveyard: You can shuffle this card from the Graveyard into the Deck, then target 1 face-up "Quarkonic" monster you control; Normal Summon that target.

* * *

**Fun Fact #31: I hope you weren't waiting for some ultra-amazing-broken archetype from my character, because the reality is a little less exciting.**

**Fun Fact #32: No, Edward's name isn't a reference to Twilight. No, we're not giving him a Vampire Deck. Don't be silly. His name is actually a reference to Aster Phoenix, who was named Edo Phoenix in the Japanese version, and who used the Vision HEROs as his primary Deck in the GX manga.  
**

**Fun Fact #33: We've given plenty of screentime (or pagetime?) to Ritual Summons, Synchro Summons, Xyz Summons, and even the Second Summons of Gemini monsters. Well, we feel it's about time Fusion Summoning got it's fair share of the glory, so here you go.**

**Fun Fact #34: Just like the Spheres and the Sealed Beasts, the Vision HEROs are an archetype that never really got a chance to shine outside the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX manga, since only Vision HERO Adoration and Vision HERO Trinity were ever released into the OCG/TCG. So in this story, they get another shot at greatness. You can find more about the Vision HEROs and their effects on the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wiki, and you can find colour images of them by Google Image searching any of their names (a fan was nice enough to create colour images for them).  
**

**Fun Fact #35: We may or may not decide to include the Masked HEROs in a future story as well. It's certainly a possibility. Let us know if you'd like to see the Masked HEROs - and while you're at it, tell us if there are any other archetypes you'd really like to see. However, you may rest assured that we will _never ever never ever never ever_ do a story about the Elemental HEROs. They've gotten PLENTY of screentime already.**


	11. James' day out 3

**Edward LP:** 3500

Vision HERO Vyon: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1200

Vision HERO Adoration: Warrior-Type/Fusion/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2800/DEF 2100

**James LP:** 2100

**Hadronic Protonian: Thunder-Type/Fusion/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0**

"Awesome Fusion Monster..." Edward breathed, staring up at Protonian, which was several feet taller than any of his monsters, despite being inferior in terms of stats.

"Why thank you," James replied, starting to relax a little. "Now, to battle! **Hadronic Protonian**, attack Vision HERO Adoration!" The tiny yellow orb began to crackle with electrical energy.

"You're attacking with a monster that has 0 ATK?" Edward said. "Why?"

"Because of its effect," James explained. "When **Hadronic Protonian** battles a monster, I can banish up to two Thunder-Type monsters from my Deck, then I can choose the same number of its effects to apply. The first of these effects will prevent me and my monster from taking damage. The second one will destroy your monster at the end of the Damage Step. And the third will inflict damage to you equal to half your monster's ATK." James extracted two Monster Cards from his Deck – two copies of Thunder Dragon – and banished them. "Since I'm banishing two Thunder-Type monsters-"

"-then you can apply two out of three of its effects." Edward finished. "I'm not stupid you know."

James ignored the interruption. "I'll choose effect number one and effect number two. So my attack will be effectively negated, and your monster will be destroyed." The small orb's energy build-up ended as the attack was negated, but then waves of electricity shot from the orb and struck Adoration, annihilating it where it stood.

"No!" Edward cried out.

"Too bad kid," James grinned. "I place one card face-down, and end my turn." His face-down card appeared behind his Fusion Monster.

"My turn, draw!" Edward began his turn with fervour. "I activate the Spell Card, Ante!" The Spell Card materialized onto his field.

"Ante?" James wondered. "What does that do?"

"It's like a game of chance." Edward explained. "Both of us reveal one card in our hand to each other and compare their Levels. Then, whoever revealed the card with the lower Level takes 1000 damage, and sends their card to the Graveyard."

"I see..." James muttered. "But you said we can reveal a _card_, not just a monster. Does that mean we can reveal a Spell or Trap Card as well?"

"Yep," Edward grinned. "But it's a bad idea. You see, Spell and Trap Cards revealed by this effect will be treated as Level zero, so you're pretty likely to lose if you do."

"Ok, I understand," James said, and began examining his hand, trying to decide what to reveal. _'Obviously I want to reveal a really high Level monster. That way, I'll get rid of a card in his hand and inflict damage to him,' _he thought to himself.

Proud of his quick decision, James chose a card from his hand and placed it face-down on his duel disk. Edward did likewise. The moment both cards were in place, a ghostly image of each card appeared behind their owners. First James':

Tribe-Shocking Virus: Level 4

Then Edward's:

Vision HERO Poisoner: Level 3

"HA!" James shouted triumphantly. "My monster has a higher Level! So your monster is sent to the Graveyard, and you take 1000 damage!" Edward sent his monster to the Graveyard, then gasped as a red light enveloped him.

**Edward LP:** 3500 → 2500

James, meanwhile, had returned Tribe-Shocking Virus to his hand. He was still grinning proudly at winning the game of chance, but the smile was wiped from his face when he saw Edward wasn't upset about it. Quite the opposite, he seemed pretty pleased with himself. "What're you grinning about?" James asked nervously.

"Don't you see? I wanted to lose!" Edward grinned. "So I could use the effects of the monsters in my Graveyard."

"The monsters in your... uh oh," James realised what he'd just done.

Edward raised his hand. "I activate the effects of Vision HERO Increase, Vision HERO Minimum Ray, and Vision HERO Poisoner in my Graveyard." The Graveyard slot on his duel disk flared with light. "With these effects, when I take damage to my Life Points, each of these cards can be moved to my Spell & Trap Card Zone!" All three cards materialized into his back row, where Ante had been only moments ago. Three phantasmic apparitions materialised above them, each mimicking the head and torso of one of the monsters.

James was practically kicking himself. _'Damnit all, how could I forget about the monsters in his Graveyard? They've already used their effects once! How could I not see this coming?' _To make matters worse, a quick glance at his hand showed him a Spell Card that he could've easily revealed with Ante, which would've cost him 1000 life points, but would've prevented Edward from amassing all these cards.

"I Normal Summon Vision HERO Gravito!" James was startled out of his thoughts by Edward's Summon. This monster was a blueish-grey human with black armour, ridiculously oversized hands, and a colossal shield that guarded most of its body. Since the monster was in Attack Position, however, the warrior was standing up straight, with the shield hanging by its side. It had the same cyclops-like helmet that the other Vision HEROs had, with a single red 'eye' in the middle.

Vision HERO Gravito: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 500/DEF 2000

"Now I'll use Vision HERO Gravito's effect!" Edward declared. "By Tributing it, I can Special Summon two Vision HERO monsters from my Spell & Trap Card Zone! I target Vision HERO Poisoner and Vision HERO Minimum Ray!" Gravito disappeared, and the two targeted cards in Edward's back row began to glow and shake. With the sound of breaking glass, both cards shattered, and two monsters leapt onto the field. The first one was a striking purple colour, with tubes instead of hands and a single red eye.

Vision HERO Poisoner: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 900/DEF 700

The second was coloured black, white, and yellow. It had a heavy-looking metal box around each of its arms, and a pure white eye in the centre of its helmet. Tiny sparks of electricity flew from its body.

Vision HERO Minimum Ray: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 1200/DEF 700

"Two Level three monsters?" James said, his eyes wide. "Oh dear lord, please no..."

"Yep! Now you get to see my new card!" Edward shouted. "Level three Poisoner and Minimum Ray, Overlay!" Both monsters morphed into fully purple amorphous masses of light, and spiralled upwards. Where they had stood, a portal opened up, shaped like a spinning galaxy. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Vision HEROs flew into the portal, which erupted with light. "Come on, **Number 14: Phantom Linker**!"

A bright yellow number thirteen etched itself into the back of Edward's hand. Out of the portal rose a strange four-pronged metal structure. It looked like the letter X, except with large metal diamonds attached to each prong. The structure separated at the centre and seemed to fold outwards, hinged on the metal diamonds, until it resembled an octagonal gateway, which began to rotate on its axis, spinning faster and faster, until it was just a blur. Within that blur, a figure began to take shape – a human of some sort. Finally eight-sided gateway dissipated, showering the newly formed monster with light particles. It was a human-like monster, with deathly white skin and piercing red eyes. It was wearing a black cloak with red shoulder pads and a gold trim, and was carrying a long ornate staff. Its two yellow Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 14: Phantom Linker: Spellcaster-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 3/ATK 1200/DEF 1800 – 2 OLU**

"A Number..." James moaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "Just my luck."

But it was more than just irritation James was feeling. He was pretty nervous too because, of course, he'd never fought against an enemy Number before. Katie, Leah, Dan, Matt, even Skyler – they all made Number hunting look so easy. Did he really have what it takes to follow their lead?

"Phantom Linker's effect activates!" Edward declared. "Once per turn, by detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can Special Summon any Monster Card that's currently in my Spell & Trap Card Zone." The Number laid its staff down carefully, and put its hands together as though praying. One of its Overlay Units broke orbit and flew into its clasped hands.

**Number 14: Phantom Linker: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

"I target Vision HERO Increase!" Edward called, pointing at the card. The Number slowly separated its hands, and as it did so, a string of five orbs of light formed between them. With a flick of its hand, Phantom Linker sent them all flying over its shoulder at the targeted card. The five orbs pummelled the card one after the other, until the card shattered and the monster appeared from within. It looked a lot more regal than the others, with predominantly white and gold armour, and golden tassels dangling from its shoulders. Regardless, it still had the same soulless red gem in the centre of its helmet that all Vision HEROs had.

Vision HERO Increase: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 900/DEF 1100

"This is definitely my favourite Vision HERO!" Edward said happily. "It looks the coolest, and it has the best effect out of all of them. When it's Special Summoned from my Spell & Trap Card Zone, I can Special Summon any HERO monster from my Deck. And that's _any_ HERO, not just a Vision HERO, and not just a low Level one! Come on out, Vision HERO Witch Raid!" A flash of light from Edward's duel disk half blinded James, but through it he could still hear a woman cackling. When the light faded, a new monster was hovering just above Edward's field. It was a masked woman dressed in red and black, with flowing blonde hair, and a witch's hat sitting at an angle on her head. She was holding a broomstick, but it wasn't a traditional witch's broomstick – it was pure white, made of metal, and sported a small cannon in the front of it. It looked like more of a large rifle than a broomstick, but it was holding the witch in the air just the same.

Vision HERO Witch Raid: Spellcaster-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 1900

"Witch Reid's effect activates!" Edward said, practically jumping up and down with glee. "When its Summoned, all Spell and Trap Cards you control are destroyed!" The witch drew her broomstick back, then swung it like a baseball bat, sending a wave of venomous red wind rushing towards James' field.

And for the third time that duel, James panicked and made a snap decision. "I chain the Quick-Play Spell Card, Dimension Explosion!" The Spell Card activated. "By returning one Fusion Monster I control to the Extra Deck, both of us can Special Summon as many of our banished monsters as possible! I return **Hadronic Protonian** to the Extra Deck, to revive both of my Thunder Dragons!" The ghostly Fusion Monster distorted and faded away from James' field, and was replaced by two green dragons coated in electrical currents.

Thunder Dragon: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 5/ATK 1600/DEF 1300

Thunder Dragon: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 5/ATK 1600/DEF 1300

The wave of poisonous wind swept past the two dragons and struck the Spell Card, which dissipated into pixels, its work done.

Edward scratched his head. "I don't get it. Why did you do that? That Fusion Monster's effect would've protected it from any of my attacks – it was pretty much indestructible. Why did you get rid of it?"

James put both hands to his face and groaned heavily. He couldn't believe he'd done it again. At least three times now he'd made a stupid move because he was panicking, reacting badly to the pressure, and generally behaving like a complete amateur. His only consolation was that his friends weren't around to see the depths of his utter failures.

Edward shrugged. "Whatever, it works out great for me anyway. I activate the Spell Card, Star Changer, which lets me increase OR decrease the Level of any face-up monster by one. I choose to _increase_ Vision HERO _Increase_'s Level!" Edward giggled at his own joke, as the Spell Card upped the monster's Level.

Vision HERO Increase: Level 3 → 4

"Level four Vision HERO Increase and Vision HERO Vyon, Overlay!" The two HERO monsters turned fully purple and shot upwards, away from a circular red portal that opened beneath them. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two monsters spiralled into the portal, which exploded with light. "Come on, Gem-Knight Pearl!" A basic, pure white humanoid leapt out of the portal's residue and landed between Edwards other two monsters, its orange Overlay Units spiralling around it.

Gem-Knight Pearl: Rock-Type/Xyz/EARTH/Rank 4/ATK 2600/DEF 1900 - 2 OLU

"You have to be kidding me," James lamented. "Two Xyz Monsters? Plus that Witch Raid thing?"

"You betcha," Edward grinned. "Battle time! Gem-Knight Pearl and Vision HERO Witch Raid, destroy both of his Thunder Dragons!" The Gem-Knight dashed forwards and struck one of the dragons with a rock-hard fist, while the witch launched a dark red energy blast from her broomstick at the other. Both went down without a sound.

James crossed his arms in front of his face and braced himself, waiting for the Number's attack.

"**Number 14: Phantom Linker**, direct attack!" And sure enough it came. With a battle cry, the Number hoisted its staff and ran at James. The red gem at the end of its staff crackled with built up energy, which it swung at James with blinding speed, striking him across the chest. The moment the staff made contact, a bolt of electricity blasted through James' body. He screamed and was thrown onto his back where he lay, dazed and shaking.

**James LP:** 2100 → 900

* * *

Author-made cards:

Hadronic Protonian  
Thunder-Type/Fusion/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0  
2 "Upwards Quarkonic" + 1 "Downwards Quarkonic"  
Must first be Fusion Summoned with "Hadronic Fusion". Once per Battle Step, during either player's turn, when this card battles an opponent's monster: You can banish up to 2 Thunder-Type monsters from your Deck; apply these effects, up to the number of monsters banished. ●This card cannot be destroyed by that battle, and you take no Battle Damage from that battle. ●Destroy the opponent's battling monster at the end of the Damage Step. ●Inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the ATK of the opponent's battling monster on the field.

Number 14: Phantom Linker  
Spellcaster-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 3/ATK 1200/DEF 1800  
2 Level 3 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card, then target 1 Monster Card in your Spell & Trap Card Zone; Special Summon that target. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can send 3 Spell/Trap Cards you control to the Graveyard; return this card from the Graveyard to the Extra Deck.

* * *

**Fun Fact #36: For those of you who aren't Particle Physicists, allow me to explain the theme behind my monsters. There are atoms. Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are, in turn, made of even smaller things called quarks. These quarks come in six 'flavours' - Up, Down, Top, Bottom, Strange, and Charm. This is the theory that my Deck is based on. For instance, a proton is made up of two up quarks, and one down quark. Hence, Hadronic Protonian is Fusion Summoned by fusing two Upwards Quarkonics and one Downwards Quarkonic.**

**Fun Fact #37: Science!**

**Fun Fact #38: Some people may have noticed that we've been listing all the Vision HEROs up to now as DARK Warrior-Type monsters, even though they were never officially given Types or Attributes in the manga. This Typing is the most logical thing we can assume, based on the fact that Vision HERO Trinity and Vision HERO Adoration (the only two Vision HEROs that were ever released) are DARK Warrior-Type monsters.**

**Fun fact #39: Some people may have also noticed that Vision HERO Witch Raid doesn't follow this trend at all. This is because she totally doesn't look like a Warrior-Type, so we decided to make her a Spellcaster-Type instead. And for those of you that would like to shout at us for breaking tradition, we wish to point you in the general direction of Elemental HERO Knospe, Elemental HERO Poison Rose, Elemental HERO Heat, Elemental HERO Lady Heat, Elemental HERO Voltic, Elemental HERO Inferno, Blackwing - Aurora the Northern Lights, Junk Synchron, Synchron Keeper, Underworld Dragon Dragonecro, Machine Dragon Power Tool, and Wattaildragon.**


	12. James' day out 4

**Edward LP:** 2500

**Number 14: Phantom Linker: Spellcaster-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 3/ATK 1200/DEF 1800 – 1 OLU**

Vision HERO Witch Raid: Spellcaster-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2700/DEF 1900

Gem-Knight Pearl: Rock-Type/Xyz/EARTH/Rank 4/ATK 2600/DEF 1900 – 2 OLU

**James LP:** 900

James was slow to stand up, still feeling pretty shaky after the Number's attack. His entire body ached, and there was a nasty bump on the back of his head where he'd hit the ground so hard. _'So this is what it's like to be attacked by a Number…' _he thought as he staggered to his feet. _'This is what all the others have gone through.'_

Wearily, his mind flashed back to when Katie was being attacked by **Number 94: Matrix Golem**... to when Matt was almost knocked out cold by **Number 36: Mermonstrosity**... to when Leah was nearly killed by **Number 10: Terra Storm**... to the state Dan and Skyler had been in after a prolonged battle with their Numbers... and he berated himself for being so pathetic compared to them.

"Hey mister! Hey, hey mister!" Edwards calls snapped James out of his thoughts. "You okay mister?"

James nodded wearily. For better or for worse, he just wanted this duel to be over.

"Well... it's kind of your move..." Edward said, still a little perplexed at his opponent's strange behaviour. He of course had no idea that his Number was inflicting real damage, and that as a result, James was struggling to remain on his feet.

"Okay... my turn, draw..." James drew his card with exaggerated movements, trying not to hurt himself. He barely glanced at his card before placing it on his duel disk – he wasn't even thinking about his moves anymore. "I... I Summon **Spark Knight**." A warrior in dark yellow armour took to the field with a shout, streaks of electricity running up its blade.

**Spark Knight: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000**

"Now what're you doing, mister?" Edward asked. "That monster can't defeat any of mine, and if I attack it now, then you'll lose. You should've Summoned it in face-down Defence Position."

_'And yet another mistake to add to the list,' _James thought to himself, swaying slightly on his feet. _'Damnit all, why can't I do anything right?' _It was then that he looked at Edward again, and noticed the yellow number fourteen, still glowing serenely on the back of his hand.

And quite suddenly, James had an idea. He looked down at the metal band around his wrist, the only thing standing between him and total possession by his Number, and stroked it with one finger. _'Yes… I still have my own Number. If I remove this band, then my Number will possess my body and start controlling my actions. Maybe it'll start winning the duel for me. Hell, it can't possibly be a worse duelist than me.' _He chuckled at his own thoughts, then realised what he was doing and shook his head. _'No! I can't do that. If I take off the band and let my Number take hold, I might not be able to stop it. It'll go crazy, just like Matt's Number did. It'll hurt this kid and destroy this city. Maybe it'll find its way back to the others. Maybe it'll hurt my friends. Maybe it'll hurt Katie…'_

He clenched his fists tight and willed himself to get a grip. _'No. I can't take off the band and pass on responsibility to the Number. It's out of the question. But maybe… just maybe…' _It had been a pretty roundabout method, but James' crazy train of thought had just given him a much better idea. Acting on the impulse of inspiration, he raised his hand. "I activate the effect of **Spark Knight**! When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon any Level four or lower Thunder-type monster from my hand. I Summon Tribe-Shocking Virus!" A cloud of small yellow glass spheres rose up behind him. Each one had electricity crackling inside it, and four black electrodes jutting from its shell. They produced a low buzzing noise.

Tribe-Shocking Virus: Thunder-Type/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1000

James was absolutely terrified that he was going to make yet another mistake, especially now that he was dealing with Numbers. But he truly felt that he couldn't make his situation any worse, so he went for it. "Here goes something! Level four **Spark Knight** and Tribe-Shocking Virus, Overlay!" The two monsters turned fully yellow and blue respectively, and shot up into the sky. For the first time in his entire life, James witnessed the galaxy-shaped portal opening up on his field. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Xyz Material Monsters spiralled into the portal, which erupted outwards. "Come on out! **Number 73: Matrix Gardna**!"

A yellow light blazed trails across the back of his hand, giving shape to the number seventy-three. From out of the portal flew several streams of yellow digital code, which congealed in the air to form a massive digital structure, similar to the body of Thunder King Rai-Oh. The entire augmented reality field flickered and distorted around the creature. The digital code rippled like water, each ripple changing its structure very slightly, spreading it out, giving definition to its limbs. Within moments, a fully formed monster stood behind James. It was made entirely out of the yellow coding, and bore the vague shape of a humanoid, with two legs, two arms and a head. Where it differed was in proportion. It more resembled a golem than a human: its legs were short and stubby, whereas its torso was relatively bulky, and its hands were ridiculously oversized. Its head was little more than a semi-flat cylinder. The Number seventy-three was printed onto its chest, and two yellow Overlay Units orbited around it. It was in Defence Position.

**Number 73: Matrix Gardna: Psychic-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 1700/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

James braced himself, waiting for the waves of hatred to wash over him if the band failed him. But it held just fine. He had nothing to be worried about there.

"Awesome," Edward breathed, staring up at the monster, then down at his own duel disk. "So there's more than one of these Number thingys?"

James nodded. "With that I end my turn." He was still worried about his strategy, because it would rely heavily on what Edward did next, but he was confident that Matrix Gardna would provide him a few turns of protection.

"My turn, draw!" Edward drew his card with excitement. "I activate the Equip Spell Card, Fairy Meteor Crush! Equip to Vision HERO Witch Raid!" The cackling HERO was surrounded with a red aura. "Any monster equipped with this card inflicts Piercing Damage. So go, Vision HERO Witch Raid! Attack **Number 73: Matrix Gardna**!" At the cannon end of her broomstick, the witch charged a pale blue mass of energy, tinged with red.

And for the first time in the entire duel, James made a snap decision correctly. "I activate the effect of Matrix Gardna! Once per turn, during either player's turn, by detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can apply one of two effects." One of the yellow orbs broke orbit and shot into Number 73's core.

**Number 73: Matrix Gardna: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

"Now I target one monster, and apply one of its two effects," James explained. "The first effect will halve the target's DEF, and increase its ATK by the amount of DEF it lost. The second effect does the exact opposite. I halve its ATK, and increase its DEF by an equal amount."

"So, what're you choosing?" Edward asked.

James pointed at the attacking monster. "I'm targeting Vision HERO Witch Raid. And I'm going to reduce its ATK by half, and increase its DEF by an equal amount!" Witch Raid was surrounded by green binary symbols, which clung to the monster like shackles.

Vision HERO Witch Raid: ATK 2800 → 1400/DEF 1900 → 3300

James grinned. "Now my monster has more DEF than your monster's ATK, so you take the difference as damage!" Witch Raid fired its cannon, but the energy projectile bounced off the much larger monster, and struck Edward head on. He cried out and staggered back, almost losing his footing.

**Edward LP: **2500 → 1900

"Fine!" Edward shouted, stamping his foot. "I activate the effect of Vision HERO Minimum Ray in my Graveyard. Since I took damage, I can place it in my Spell & Trap Card Zone!" The Vision HERO card that was detached last turn reappeared on Edward's field. "Now, Gem-Knight Pearl, attack Matrix Gardna!" The pure white Xyz Monster started running towards the Number, preparing to swing its mighty fist.

"Did you forget?" James called. "Numbers can only be destroyed by other Numbers, and Gem-Knight Pearl isn't a Number!" Pearl smashed a fist into Matrix Gardna, but the creature's body did little more than ripple as it absorbed the blow. It raised one of its massive hands to bat the monster away, but Pearl leapt back before it got a chance.

"Whoopsie," Edward laughed. "Guess I forgot. Ah well, it's still my turn anyway. I activate the effect of **Number 14: Phantom Linker**, detaching its last Overlay Unit to Special Summon Vision HERO Minimum Ray from my Spell & Trap Card Zone, in Defence Position!" Phantom Linker absorbed its final Overlay Unit and sent five small orbs flying over its shoulder as before, breaking the card apart and releasing Minimum Ray back onto the field.

**Number 14: Phantom Linker: 1 **→** 0 OLU**

Vision HERO Minimum Ray: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 1200/DEF 700

"That ends my turn," Edward said proudly. The green binary shackles draped over Witch Raid burst into pixels as Matrix Gardna's effect ended

Vision HERO Witch Raid: ATK 1400 → 2800/DEF 3300 → 1900

"My turn, draw!" James drew his card, now feeling slightly more confident than before. That confidence was only increased when he turned over his card and saw what he'd drawn. "Sweet! I activate the Equip Spell Card, Megamorph! Equip to Matrix Gardna!" The Megamorph symbol appeared on the Number's small forehead. "With this card, while I have less life points than you do, the equipped monster's ATK is doubled!"

**Number 73: Matrix Gardna: ATK 1700 **→** 3400**

"Now I activate **Number 73: Matrix Gardna**'s effect. By detaching an Overlay Unit, I can halve its own DEF, and increase its ATK by that amount." Matrix Gardna absorbed its last remaining orb of light into its chest, before wrapping itself in the same green coding it had used on Witch Raid mere moments ago.

**Number 73: Matrix Gardna: 1 **→** 0 OLU**

**Number 73: Matrix Gardna: ATK 3400 **→** 4400/DEF 2000 **→** 1000**

"Then I'll switch it to Attack Position!" James changed the position of the card on his duel disk, and in response, Matrix Gardna stood up straight and spread its arms wide, ready to embrace the world with pain.

"Wait, no!" Edward gasped.

"Battle! Matrix Gardna, attack Phantom Linker!" Edward's eyes widened as Matrix Gardna drew back its arm and smashed a massive hand into his Number. Phantom Linker cried out in agony and dissipated. The shockwave was huge – it lifted Edward off his feet and threw him several feet back.

**Edward LP:** 1900 → 0

**James LP:** 900 [WINNER]

And that was it. The finishing buzzer sounded and the augmented reality descended around them, taking the remaining monsters with it. James had used his band once before to try to extract Numbers from Skyler, so he was familiar with its usage. He extended the tendrils of energy straight into Edward's body without a moment's hesitation, and withdrew then seconds later carrying Number 14 with them.

With the Number secure, his first thought was how to deal with the unconscious boy before him. He had two options. He could walk off and abandon the boy. Or he could call the authorities. Neither idea appealed to him. Abandoning the boy was obviously out of the question, but if he called the authorities, they'd undoubtedly arrest him for having something to do with it – which, he supposed, he probably did.

In the end, he settled on a happy medium. He carried the still unconscious child to the nearest house he could find, set him down on the doorstep, rang the doorbell and legged it. He was out of sight long before someone answered the door.

'_Good, let them call the authorities,' _James thought as he jogged away. _'They'll know what to do better than me. Besides, I have my own problems to deal with when I get back…'_

* * *

Author-made cards:

Spark Knight  
Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000  
Cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Thunder-type monster from your hand in face-up Defence Position.

Number 73: Matrix Gardna  
Psychic-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 1700/DEF 2000  
2 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, during either player's turn, if this card is in face-up Defence Position: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card, then target 1 face-up monster; apply 1 of these effects until the End Phase. ●Halve its ATK, and increase its DEF by an equal amount. ●Halve its DEF, and increase its ATK by an equal amount.

* * *

**Fun Fact #40: As some of you may have already discovered, FanFictionDotNet has recently introduced a proofreading system, which will check over any documents you upload for spelling and grammar errors. That's a lovely thought FanFictionDotNet, thank you for that.**

**Fun Fact #41: Unfortunately, this system is worse than useless at proofreading Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfics. It picks out words like Synchro, Duel, ATK, and Spellcaster, and calls them spelling errors. And don't even get us started on the grammar checker. It's a very kind thing to give us FanFictionDotNet, really. But as far as Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfics are concerned: fellow writers, remember to take its advice with a pinch of salt. Well, more than a pinch. Maybe a freight train.  
**

**Fun Fact #42: No, Matrix Gardna has absolutely no relation whatsoever to Matrix Golem, why do you ask?**


	13. James' day out 5

Katie leapt up to answer the door the moment the bell rang. She'd been sick with worry ever since James had left, and had been sitting on the living room sofa desperately hoping that he would decide to come back.

He had.

She pulled the door open and threw her arms around him, almost welling up to see him safe. He pulled her in close as the other three came to investigate the noises. Matt locked eyes with James, and both of them froze, unsure of what to say. Katie felt James tense, and stepped away from him, worried.

James took a step forward to bring himself into the apartment, and reached a hand into his pocket. Matt flinched, thinking he was going for a weapon, but instead James pulled out a card, and thrust it into Katie's hands, as if disgusted by the very sight of it. Katie turned the card over, and gasped to see it was a Number card – **Number 14: Phantom Linker**.

"James, where did you get this?" she asked.

"I'm really bad at childcare," he muttered cryptically, much to her confusion. Without another word, he strode across the apartment to stand directly in front of Matt. Matt was a couple of inches shorter than James, but he still stared up at James defiantly, his face giving nothing away. Leah and Dan hovered nearby, ready to grab one of them if they decided to get violent.

Then James took a deep breath, and started speaking. "Matt... everyone... I'm no good at this sort of thing, but I feel I owe it to you after the way I've been treating you. I'm... well, I'm sorry."

Matt didn't move or speak, so James went on. "I've been dealing with some... things recently. Things that you guys didn't know about... you may have guessed already, I don't know. But I'll tell you now. I was terrified of dueling against a Number holder, because I didn't feel like I could measure up to any of you. And I felt like, if I did terribly, I'd be letting the team down. Not to mention I was scared of being hurt by the Number." He chuckled humourlessly. "Pathetic, I know. Because that's what I am – pathetic. Useless. And to make things worse, instead of rationally talking to you guys about my fears, you know what I did? I lashed out at you guys. I didn't want to point the finger at myself, so I pointed it at the next easiest target... which was Matt, because of his complicated history with the Numbers."

He paused for a moment, allowing the others to digest the wall of information he'd just bombarded them with, and allowing himself to calm down – despite everything, he was beginning to get angry with himself.

After an appropriate pause, he continued talking. "I found it much easier to lash out at Matt than to examine my own shortcomings. But I have now, and I've gotten a whole new perspective out of it. So I can see... well, I can see what an unbelievable jerk I've been. And I just wanted to apologize for that. For everything..." He let his voice trail away, unable to think of anything else to say.

It was only a few seconds before Matt spoke, and when he did, James could hear the amusement in his voice. "Well look at that," he grinned. "How the tables turn."

With a start, James realised Matt was right: they were now in exactly the same position they had been on the beach several months ago, after Matt's duel with Mizutsu. Matt had acted like a jerk, but had apologized to everyone, including James.

And now their roles were switched.

He felt something brush against his shoulder. Looking down, he saw that Matt had clenched his fist and tapped it against his shoulder, with no more force than an insect. He looked up at Matt, confused.

Matt was still grinning. "Of course I forgive you, James," he said.

James was struck dumb by Matt's nonchalance. "What... just like that?" he asked. "Even after enduring more of my temper tantrums than I care to count, you just forgive everything?" Matt nodded. "But why?"

"Because," Matt replied, "that's what friends do. As well as that, you've now been in my situation, and experienced almost everything I went through. I truly believe that you understand where you went wrong, and that you feel really bad about it. So, yeah, I forgive you." He smiled reassuringly. "Besides, what kind of leader would I be if I held a grudge against my teammate?"

James was practically welling up with joy at this point, and he wiped his eyes on his sleeve, trying not to let it show. Matt lowered his hand, unclenched his fist, and offered it to James. The hunter shook it without hesitation, and a current of understanding seemed to flow through them.

With a joyous squeal, Katie threw her arms around James once again, hugging him tightly from behind. Dan and Leah both clapped James on the shoulder, welcoming him back just as they had done with Matt all that time ago. James just stood there, at a loss for words by everyone's acceptance, and trying hard not to start bawling.

Once everyone was finished, Katie led him over to the sofas and sat him down on one. She sat down on the same one, shuffling in close to him. He put an arm around her, drawing her close. Opposite him, the other three sat down on another sofa.

Before anyone said anything, Katie attempted to offer James' new Number back to him, but he refused. "Keep it," he said. "To me, that card's a reminder of how stupid, pathetic, and cowardly I've been recently. I don't want to see it anymore." Katie nodded in understanding, and slipped the card into her pocket out of sight.

"Now come on, James," Dan grinned. "That card can also be a reminder of how you manned up, apologized, and won us a new Number. It doesn't have to represent all bad memories."

"Yeah," James said distractedly, "but at the moment it does, so for now, I'd rather not see it if that's ok."

"Fair enough," Dan nodded.

"So, James," Leah smiled. "Tell us about your adventures today. From what I've seen so far, it sounds like it'll make an interesting tale."

"Hmph, maybe to you," James huffed, but he was smiling all the same. "Alright then, where should I start?"

* * *

**Fun Fact #43: Shortest chapter we've written so far, but everything that needed to be said has been said. James' real-life counterpart basically wanted to get this story over and done with as soon as possible so we can get back to the main plot. So now you know what we'll be writing next. Brace yourselves for serious plot.**

**Fun Fact #44: Number 14: Phantom Linker was originally intended to be called Vision Linker, but that idea was scrapped for several reasons.**

**Fun Fact #45: We're probably going to be ranting about this a lot over the next few weeks, but FanFictionDotNet's new proofreading system is just producing flaw after flaw. For instance, it doesn't recognise the word 'humourlessly'. In England, this is a perfectly acceptable spelling.  
**


	14. Reintegration 1

**Note: This story takes place directly after Yu-Gi-Oh! Delta: Rampage of the Numbers.**

* * *

"HE DID WHAT?" Professor Usur roared, and the five kids stepped back fearfully. "You mean to tell me that Dan challenged an enemy hunter to a duel – an enemy hunter that he's already beaten once – AND LOST? You'd better have a very good explanation for this!"

The five members of Team Delta were standing in Professor Usur's office. A few hours ago - and only after a lengthy talk about how running in hospitals is bad – the kids had been discharged from the hospital and sent home.

Unfortunately, Dan's condition was persisting. After dueling with Skyler and losing, it soon became clear that Dan had lost more than just his Numbers in that encounter; he had also lost his memory. Needless to say, the doctors were baffled. They simply couldn't find a cause for his amnesia, and much to the dismay of his teammates, they had released him pending further test results.

His friends, on the other hand, had not given up so easily. They had tried everything, from stories to mementos to cards. But no matter how much they tried, nothing would jog his memory, and they all remained strangers to him.

And now they were standing in the Professor's office, trying to explain everything to him.

"Sorry isn't good enough, young man!" Usur yelled at Matt. "You five are my only method of collecting the Numbers! One of your team gets himself permanently incapacitated, and you have the nerve to tell me you're sorry!"

"Sir, it's not like that," Matt replied desperately. "He isn't incapacitated. He's just confused at the m-"

Usur slammed his fist onto the desk. "I don't care about that!" He snapped. "All that matters to me is whether or not he can still collect Numbers!" He turned his glare on Dan. "Well, boy, can you?"

Dan looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know."

"YOU DON'T KNOW!" Usur bellowed. Matt was positioned between Usur and the other four, instinctively protecting his team, but that didn't stop Usur screaming abuse at the confused boy for his idiocy. Leah remained close to Dan, never leaving his side even for a moment. Dan noticed both of these tiny details about his comrades' body language, but didn't comment on it.

Meanwhile, Matt and James were attempting to calm their boss down. "Sir, it's not all that bad, really," James insisted. "We just need to re-teach him how to hunt, that's all. I'll fill in for him until he's back to fighting strength."

"You were supposed to be pulling your weight from the beginning, James," Usur growled. "And yet, your capture record thus far has been decidedly poor." Then he sighed and collapsed back into his chair, massaging his forehead as though he had a headache. "Enough. Get out. I've had enough of all of you for now. Leave this room, and don't even think about coming back unless it's good news. Go on, out."

Matt didn't need to be told again. He immediately spun around and marched out of the room, the rest of his team following as quickly as they could.

Once they were out of earshot, Dan muttered, "So that was our boss, was it?"

"Yeah," Katie whispered back. "But don't judge him based on that. He's not like that all the time." Dan grunted, but said nothing.

As they turned a corner on the way back to the elevator, James collided heavily with another man heading in the opposite direction. They both staggered back. "Oh hey, sorry about that," James grinned sheepishly, using the wall to stay upright. "You ok pal?"

The stranger straightened his outfit, not saying a word. He was dressed entirely in a black robe with another white robe settled on top of it, giving him the appearance of a desert traveller. A white hood was pulled up over his head, and a dark purple mask obscured his entire face... except his eyes, which were glaring at James with a look of mistrust. For seemingly no reason at all, James began to feel nervous - there was real power behind those eyes...

"Hey, he just asked of you were alright," Katie snapped, coming to her boyfriend's defence. "You don't need to glare at him like that."

The masked man turned his gaze on her, and seemed to size her up, as though deciding whether or not she was worth the effort. Then, he just carried on walking, pushing past them on his way to Professor Usur's office. The Deltas watched him go with apprehension.

"Are all the guys who live here this weird?" Dan muttered.

Katie shook her head. "I didn't even know anyone else lived here..."

"He probably doesn't," James said. "I reckon he's one of the Professor's creepy clients. He's most likely come to talk about alternate dimensions and sixteen suns and all that stuff." He glanced at his three teammates, who looked thoroughly unconvinced, and at Dan, who looked thoroughly bewildered. "What? Don't you guys think so? He definitely looks like the sort of guy who would be into that sort of thing."

"Don't be ridiculous James," Katie said. "You can't just go around accusing everyone we meet of being a part of the Professor's plan."

"But his clothes-" James protested.

"I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason for that," Matt cut in. "Maybe he's an insecure guy who didn't want to be recognised. Maybe he just thinks it's fashionable. You never know."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right..." James said, glancing over his shoulder at the man. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid..."

The five Deltas continued on their way, as Professor Usur opened the door and beckoned the man inside. "Ah, good to see you again, Durbe. Please come in, we have much to discuss."

*LATER*

Matt opened the door to their apartment, and the five of them filed inside. "So where are we?" Dan asked, as Katie shut the door behind her.

"We're home," Leah explained. "This is where you live."

"Here? Really?" Dan asked, scanning the apartment. "Hmm... not too shabby at all. I could get used to this pla- well..." he glanced at the others, "...I suppose I already have once, haven't I?" There was an awkward silence. "Yeah... um... anyway, where do I sleep?" Matt pointed, and Dan went over to investigate his room.

As soon as he was gone, James and the girls collapsed together onto one of the sofas. "Hoo boy," James sighed. "This is going to be difficult."

"He didn't recognise it," Leah said tearfully. "He didn't recognise his own home..." She buried her face in her hands. Katie put an arm around her, trying in vain to comfort her.

Matt stepped forward. "Come on guys, we can't lose hope. Not now." He was trying his best to be strong for the team, but seeing Leah in this state was really getting to him. She had always been strong, confident, and above all else, cheerful. There was almost nothing that could get her down. But after what happened, all that positive energy had drained out of her. Without her bubbling optimism, the world seemed a little less bright. "Think now. There has to be a way to cure him."

"Well what do you suggest?" James asked. "The doctors already tried the standard procedures, and nothing worked."

"Then we try something very non-standard," Matt replied. "Dueling." The others stared at him blankly. "Think about it. Dueling is a way to connect with people, to learn more about yourself, and to show your true colours. If we can get Dan into a seriously intense duel, then maybe the excitement will help him recover. It has to help a bit."

"Hang on, I'm seeing a problem there," James interrupted. "Suppose we get Dan dueling. And suppose your plan actually works. What if the memories that he regains are the horrible ones from his duel with Skyler? Won't that just make things worse?"

"No," Matt said firmly, shaking his head. "Bad memories are still memories. If we just recover the bad memories, then we've still recovered a piece of him, as he was before. And no, that won't make things any worse." He looked Leah straight in the eyes. "There's nothing that can make things worse right now, is there?" She nodded in agreement.

"Ok, ok, I like that plan," Katie said. "So which of us should duel him? Leah? You?"

Matt shook his head again. "A Number holder."

"Are you insane?" James gasped. "He's just been through some of the worse mental and physical stress imaginable, and now you want to throw a Number at him? What's wrong with you?"

"James, we have to think logically," Matt replied calmly. "There's every chance that this plan will fail, and that Dan won't regain his memories. If that happens, then we still have to think about the mission. As you said earlier, we need to re-teach Dan how to hunt Numbers. It's pretty likely he's forgotten how to use his band as well."

James sighed. "Fine, if you want to go down that path, then go ahead. But I want no part in this."

"You'll at least come to watch, won't you?" Katie asked.

James paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I owe him that much."

Katie gave his hand a quick squeeze. At the same moment, Dan came out of his bedroom grinning. "Wow," he said. "This place is amazing. How do we afford to live here? What was my job before I..." He froze, and a look of horror spread across his face. "Oh no! Please don't tell me I... oh god... was I a prostitute?!"

There was a moment of silence. Then, Leah and Katie burst out laughing. They couldn't help it; Dan's look of genuine disgust at his own statement was too funny. Katie slipped off the sofa, clutching her sides, trying to get her giggles under control.

"No, you aren't." Matt said, acting as the diplomat. "We just-"

"Are you a prostitute?" Dan accused. Now it was James turn to laugh.

"No no, nothing like that," Matt gasped, turning red. "I told you, we work as hunters for the Professor, and he lets us stay here in the meantime."

"Phew," Dan said, wiping his brow. "Well, that's good to know. So he lets us stay here as long as we want." Matt nodded. "Alrighty, so what do we do about food?"

Without thinking, Katie leapt to her feet grinning. "How about cooking us up some lunch Dan? You could fry up some shampoo waffles." James snorted with laughter.

Dan, however, simply shook his head. "No thanks," he said politely. "I'm not keen on cooking."

James stopped laughing abruptly. He looked up at Katie, who had clapped her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Leah stifled a sob and hid her face in her arms. Dan watched them all with confusion. "What? Was it something I said?"

Matt let out a long sigh. _'Oh man,' _he thought to himself. _'This is going to be harder than we thought.'_

* * *

**Fun Fact #46: Ok, we should explain. These next few chapters will be an overview of the Delta's attempts to 'house train' Dan. We put it in with the filler episodes for the same reason as the last story we put here - while it does include a fair bit of characterization, and a few hints to events to come, the events of this chapter won't impact majorly on the plot.  
**

**Fun Fact #47: If you remember the shampoo waffles, then you've clearly been with us from the very start, so thank you for that. You're awesome!  
**

**Fun Fact #48: Isn't it just beautifully ironic that James is the only one to sense the danger? Good ol' James.  
**


	15. Reintegration 2

**Matt LP:** 3000

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 2 set cards

**Feng LP:** 1200

**Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800 – 0 OLU**

Firebird: Winged Beast-Type/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 800

Spell & Trap Card Zone: Backfire

Matt grinned. For once, everything had come together perfectly. "I activate the Trap Card, Rising Energy!" His Trap Card activated. "With this, by discarding one card from my hand, a monster of my choice gains 1500 ATK during this turn." He discarded Dark Blade, then pointed at his Number. "I target **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**!"

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 2800 **→** 4300**

"Battle! **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**, attack **Number 44: Vták Ohnivák**!" Dark Excalibur brandished its sword with a flurry, then charged at the enemy Number. The magnificent phoenix creature beat its wings furiously, the flames that wreathed its body creating a maelstrom of embers. Undeterred, Number 51 ploughed straight through them and slashed it horizontally across the body, from wingtip to wingtip. The fiery bird let of a piercing screech, then exploded violently, knocking its distraught owner off his feet.

**Matt LP:** 3000 [WINNER]

**Feng LP:** 1200 → 0

The buzzer sounded, signalling the end of the duel. Matt held out his hand, and the small tendrils of light extended from his hand into his downed opponent, searching for the Number… it was practically second nature to him now. With a slight tug, the tendrils retracted from Feng's body, carrying the Number with them. With a triumphant grin, he caught and pocketed the card, before turning to his friends and bowing. "And that, my friends, is how we do that," he said in a ridiculously pompous voice.

The others all came over to congratulate him and check on his opponent. They also kept a weary eye on a girl who was now fussing over Feng. Apparently she was Feng's love interest or something similar, but that's not why the Deltas were interested in her. Upon arrival, they had quickly discovered that she was a Number Holder as well, and hurting her friend was likely to have upset her, which could prove disastrous with a Number involved.

"So Dan, what do you think?" Matt asked seriously. "Want to give it a try?"

"Um... I dunno..." Dan murmured, looking over at the girl nervously. "These Number holders look seriously tough."

"C'mon Dan," Leah said. "I've seen you duel. You're way tougher than them."

"Besides, what's the worst that can happen?" James added. "We'll be right here, so nothing bad will happen."

"Well... I guess I could..." Dan thought for a moment, glancing back and forth between his duel disk and the enemy Number holder. "Oh all right then, I'll give it a try."

James grinned. "That's the spirit," he laughed, giving him a slap on the back. "Now go and show that Number holder what for!"

James' enthusiasm was contagious. With a rapidly spreading grin, he exchanged places with Matt as the girl, keen to avenge her partner, stood opposite him. She was a tall girl, and had a somewhat oriental look about her, much like Feng from before. She had pitch black hair tied back in a bun, and wore a dark purple duel disk on her left arm.

"What's your name?" Dan asked, always seeking to be polite, even while facing down a girl being controlled by a psychotic piece of cardboard with a demonic creature living inside it.

"My name's Huang," she replied tersely, and there was a faint hint of an accent in her voice. "You people hurt my friend, and you're damn sure not going to get away with it!" She glared past Dan to where Matt was standing. "Just you wait kid. After I've dealt with this small fry I'm coming after you!"

Matt nodded the affirmative, returning her glare just as hard. Dan hooked his newly-repaired D-Gazer over his ear, but the two duelists had already prepared everything else. Around them, the augmented reality field rose up, tinting the surroundings an electronic green.

_"AR Vision – link established."_

"DUEL!"

**Huang LP:** 4000

**Dan LP:** 4000

"Ladies first!" Huang snapped, drawing her card. Leah had to resist the urge to make a comment from the sidelines. "So for my first move, I Summon Thunder Knight!" On her field, a yellow and white swordsman appeared in a flash of electrical energy. It resembled a smaller version of Zaborg the Thunder Monarch.

Thunder Knight: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 1200

"And due to Thunder Knight's effect," Huang explained, "it gains 400 ATK for every Thunder-Type monster I control, including itself!"

Thunder Knight: ATK 1300 → 1700

"Then I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." Her set card appeared, and she glared at her opponent. Just from that look, Matt could tell that she was deadly serious. "Your move, small fry!"

Dan nodded and drew his card, ever so calmly. "My turn, draw." His face suddenly lit up as he checked his hand. "Nice, I have the perfect card to take that thing down!" he said.

"Then Summon it already, and stop wasting my time!" Huang snapped.

"With great pleasure," Dan grinned, pulling a card from his hand. "I Normal Summon this card from my hand! Appear, Snowdust Dragon!"

_"ERROR! Illegal move!"_

A series of holographic red crosses, each with the word "STOP" emblazoned onto them, flashed up across the field as the electronic voice blared out. The Monster Card Zone beneath Snowdust Dragon began flashing red, and the hologram of Thunder Knight on Huang's field froze in place as the duel was halted.

"What on earth?" Matt gasped. "Why did he do that?"

"I don't- he must be planning something," Leah said. "He must've just made a mistake."

Dan's reaction, however, was utter surprise. He looked around him at all the flashing warning signs, then turned to his friends and called out, "Hey guys, what's happening? Did I do something wrong?"

"What... I... what're you playing at?" James shouted. "That's a Level eight monster."

Dan glanced back at his duel disk and counted the stars on Snowdust Dragon's card. "Oh, so it is," he said. Then he looked confused again. "So what does that mean?"

The other members of Team Delta all looked at each other.

"Don't tell me..." Matt said.

"It can't be..." Leah breathed, a look of disbelief on her face.

Katie looked back at the duel. "There's just no way. He couldn't have forgotten this as well. He couldn't have..."

"If you lot are just going to natter amongst yourselves," Huang shouted, "then I'll just explain his mistake for you!" Then she turned her attention to Dan. "Level eight monsters require two Tributes in order to Normal Summon or Set them. Attempting to Summon them with zero Tributes – without the help of a card effect – is an illegal move."

A look of revelation came over Dan's face. "Oh, I see, my mistake," he said, and quickly took the card off of his duel disk. As soon as he did, all of the red crosses disappeared, and the field returned to normal.

"Surely not," Katie repeated. "This can't be happening. There must be something wrong..."

"I know one way to find out," James muttered. Then his raised his voice. "Hey Dan, answer this question." Dan turned to face him. "Why are Xyz Monsters unaffected by cards like Gravity Bind?"

Dan stood there for a moment, deep in thought, then said, "Does it have something to do with the number of Tributes they require?"

Four hearts sank at the same moment.

"I don't believe this..." James muttered, shaking his head. "The Professor is not going to be happy about this..."

"Dueling was the only hope we had left," Leah said, staring at the duel, seemingly in a state of shock. "How can we reach him now?" Katie put an arm around her to try and comfort her, but it was no use. She was inconsolable.

Dan, meanwhile, was staring uncomprehendingly at his hand, reading all of his cards as he tried to find one that he could use. Finally, he gave up and said, "Forget it, I end my turn."

Huang snorted derisively. "Is this some idea of a joke?" she asked. "The last guy was strong, but you're acting like you've never even duelled before!" She shook her head in disappointment. "It looks like I overestimated you. All you've done is waste my time! Well no more! My turn, draw!" She took less than a second to consider her move. "I activate the Spell Card, **Thunder Collation**!" The Spell Card appeared next to her face-down card. "By paying 800 Life Points, this card lets me add any monster with the word Thunder in its name, excluding a select few, from my Deck to my hand. I choose Evilswarm Thunderbird!" Her duel disk extracted the card, which she placed in her hand.

**Huang LP:** 4000 → 3200

"Hey, I'm winning!" Dan grinned. "Awesome!"

"Don't get used to it, small fry!" Huang snapped. "And now I'll Normal Summon the monster I just searched! Appear, Evilswarm Thunderbird!" A blackened bird with a fiery blue aura appeared. The feathers on its wings were dyed a dark purple colour, and red gems were set in a neat line running down its bulbous body. Four spiny tentacles extended from the plumage around its neck.

Evilswarm Thunderbird: Thunder-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1650/DEF 1050

Thunder Knight: ATK 1700 → 2100

"Battle time!" Huang declared. "Evilswarm Thunderbird, direct attack!" The bird took flight, its tentacles waving wildly.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Dan shouted. Huang hesitated, and all of the Deltas looked up, suddenly interested. "I left my field clear on purpose, to try and lure you into a direct attack!" He explained, grinning. "And you fell for it."

"Then stop talking and retaliate!" Huang ordered. Subconsciously, her hand drifted over her Evilswarm Thunderbird card, ready to activate its effect and pluck it off her duel disk if Dan's effect proved to be too dangerous.

"Alright, but you asked for it," Dan laughed. He took a card from his hand, and played it straight onto his duel disk. "I activate the Trap Card, Mirror Force! So now-"

_"ERROR! Illegal move!"_

Once again, warning crosses flashed up across the field, forcing the duelists to stop. Dan looked at his duel disk, which was once again causing the zone containing Mirror Force to flash red, and sighed in exasperation. "Ok, what did I do wrong this time?"

Matt sighed. _'It's no use,'_ he thought to himself. _'He doesn't remember a thing…'_

The rest of the Deltas didn't say anything. They just stared at the duel, distraught and upset.

So once again, the task fell to Huang to explain her opponent's mistake. "Trap Cards cannot be activated directly from the hand," she said impatiently. "You have to set them face-down for at least a turn before you can use them, just like I did with mine." She indicated her face-down card.

"Ah, I see," Dan said, placing Mirror Force back in his hand. "So what about these green cards? I think they're call Sp-"

"I haven't got the time to instruct you on every little aspect of this game!" She interrupted. "My business is with your friend, and right now, you're nothing more than a particularly irritating road block. Well, it's time for me to knock you down! Evilswarm Thunderbird, resume your attack!" With a warbling shriek, Thunderbird released a series of pitch-black lightning bolts, which lanced their way across Dan's body.

**Dan LP:** 4000 → 2350

"Thunder Knight, direct attack!" The knight charged forward, its blade crackling with electrical energy, and smote Dan straight across the chest. He staggered back, gasping in pain.

**Dan LP:** 2350 → 250

"During Main Phase two, I activate the Spell Card, Thunder Crash!" Huang shouted, her Spell appearing directly in front of her. "This card destroys all monsters I control, then deals you 300 points of damage for each one!" Quick as a flash, she swiped the Evilswarm Thunderbird card off her duel disk. "No sense being careless, so I'll also activate Evilswarm Thunderbird's effect! When an effect is activated, I can banish Thunderbird until the next Standby Phase!" A portal opened up behind the hideous bird creature, which dissipated and flowed as streams of energy into the portal.

"Eh? Why did you do that?" Dan asked, totally perplexed.

"To ensure that I'll still have a monster left should this move go wrong," Huang explained. "Besides, Thunder Crash will still resolve and destroy my other monster, and 300 damage is more than enough to finish you off!" As if in response, a bolt of lightning shot from the Spell Card and struck Thunder Knight in the back. The swordsman cried out in pain and dissipated, but the thunderbolt kept on going and hit her opponent. She felt a savage joy run through her veins as her helpless opponent collapsed in front of her.

**Huang LP:** 3200 [WINNER]

**Dan LP: **250 → 0

* * *

Author-made cards:

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unnaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

Number 44: Vták Ohnivák  
Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800  
2 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. During the next Standby Phase after this card was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate 1 of these effects. ●Attach the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit instead of sending it to the Graveyard. ●Detach 3 Overlay Units from this card; destroy all cards on the field.

Thunder Collation  
Spell Card  
Pay 800 Life Points; add 1 "Thunder" monster (except "Sanga of the Thunder", "The Immortal of Thunder", "Thunder King Rai-Oh", "Thunder Nyan Nyan", "Zaborg the Thunder Monarch", "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder" or "Mist Valley Thunderbird") from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate 1 "Thunder Collation" per turn.

* * *

**Fun Fact #49: So yeah, Dan's forgotten how to duel as well. Oh joy.**

**Fun Fact #50: Vták Ohnivák is a Slovak word, meaning phoenix.**

**Fun Fact #51: The names for the characters Feng and Huang are taken directly from the Chinese word "Fènghuáng", meaning phoenix. Unoriginal, I know, but it'll do. Another random bit of info is that their Decks are based on fire and electricity respectively, which are two forms of energy. Interestingly, the exact same setup is used for Reshiram and Zekrom from the Pokemon series. To make things just a little more ripoff-y, the third member of their trio is Kyurem, the being of ice (coldness generally being representive of a lack of energy), whereas Dan, the pivotal characater of this particular story, uses an ice-themed Deck.**

**Fun Fact #52: Yes, we gave Huang a Thunder archetype Deck. Just so everyone is aware, in the next few chapters, we will be using the Japanese names for the Thunder Family for two reasons. Firstly, the English names are silly and ridiculous and pointless and we will have nothing to do with them. Secondly, we quite like the structure of the Japanese names, as they contain quite interesting puns.**

**Fun Fact #53: The reason why we've excluded so many monsters in Thunder Collation's text is because the listed monsters are not actually part of the Thunder archetype, since they don't include the word "Thunder" (サンダー, _Sandā_) in their Japanese card names. Any other monsters you can think of with Thunder in their name (including Evilswarm Thunderbird, Blue Thunder T-45, Ally of Justice Thunder Armor, etc) are part of this archetype, and are therefore searchable with Thunder Collation. Most cards with Raigeki in their name are also a part of this archetype.  
**


	16. Reintegration 3

**Huang LP:** 3200 [WINNER]

**Dan LP:** 250 → 0

The claxon sounded, signalling the end of the duel. As the augmented reality faded away around them, Huang removed her D-Gazer and stared at her downed opponent with a look of contempt. "Pathetic," she spat, as the rest of Team Delta ran over to assist their fallen comrade. "Simply pathetic."

Together, Leah and James yanked Dan up and put him into a sitting position. "You alright pal?" James asked.

Dan nodded tentatively. "Yeah, I think so..."

"You idiot," Matt growled. "Why didn't you tell us you'd forgotten how to duel?"

"I'm not sure," Dan scratched his head. "I kind of assumed that it's the sort of thing that you learn by doing."

"That's true to a point," Katie said before Matt had a chance to speak again. "But duelists like her; they're too dangerous for... um... beginners to fight." She found it surprisingly hard to use the word beginner to describe Dan, after having watched him duel in the past. _'This must be really hard on Leah,' _she thought, looking over at the once proud and upbeat girl, who now appeared dazed and upset.

Matt grunted. He wasn't really angry with Dan; it wasn't his fault. He was just frustrated. Every single setback they had put them even further away from their ultimate goal of gathering the Numbers and getting rid of them. And losing one of their hunters – along with six Numbers – was about as major as setbacks could get. Matt felt like they were falling behind, and that made him even more impatient to get their hunt going again. He turned away from his teammates to face the Number holder. "So I suppose it's my turn now, isn't it?" he called.

Huang nodded. There was a fierce glint in her eyes as she replied. "I'm going to rip you to shreds, kiddo!"

"You can try," Matt replied. Briefly, his mind flashed back to Doctor Lithon and Skyler, their two greatest enemies. "But you wouldn't be the first one. There are others out there who have it in for us, and if anyone is going to kill me, my money would be on one of them."

"Stop being cryptic!" Huang snapped. "I don't care about all that. I'm just here to duel!"

"If you insist," Matt said. "But you asked for it."

"Duel disk, set! D-Gazer, set!" Both duelists linked their D-Gazer's, and the four spectators did likewise. Mere seconds after it had faded away, the augmented reality field rose up once again, tinting their surroundings a virtual green.

_"AR Vision – link established."_

Before they started, Matt raised his voice so his teammates could hear. "All of you, get to a safe distance," he said without turning around. "I'm not holding anything back this time, so things are going to get nasty."

The rest of Team Delta heeded his advice and retreated. Matt squared his shoulders and prepared to begin the duel, but before he could, he felt a hand on his arm. Surprised, he turned around.

It was Leah.

They stared at each other for a moment. Her expression was unreadable, but Matt could see plenty of hurt behind her eyes. He wondered whether she would say something. He considered playing the part of the responsible leader, and ordering her to step away.

Then she smiled, and to Matt, it was like a sunbeam scything through the darkness of the unhappiness etched onto her face. Still smiling, she said, "Best of luck," then she turned around and walked over to join the others.

Leah had meant to try and cheer Matt up, but she had no idea how much effect that simple gesture had had on him. He was overjoyed beyond words. To know that she hadn't completely succumbed to her despair – and to know that she still had at least a modicum of faith in him – lifted his spirits in a way he hadn't thought possible. _'She hasn't given in,' _he thought. _'She hasn't lost all hope of success, not yet. She's still trying to be strong. She still believes in me."_

And that made him all the more determined to win.

"DUEL!"

**Huang LP: **4000

**Matt LP:** 4000

"Ladies first," Huang shouted, before Matt could say a word. "My turn, draw!" She looked pleased with her drawn card. "First of all, I activate the effect of Thunder Seahorse in my hand! By discarding it, I can add two copies of any Thunder-Type monster with 1600 or less ATK from my Deck to my hand. I choose OToThunder." She sent her card to the Graveyard, and her Deck spat out two copies of the same card, which she caught. "Next I Normal Summon Blue Thunder T-45!" A dimensional rift opened up behind her, and from out of it flew a simple silver spaceship with a deep blue front window.

Blue Thunder T-45: Machine-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1000

"That ends my turn," Huang declared.

"Then it's my turn, I draw." Matt had already made the decision to start as strong as possible. "I Special Summon Double Delta Warrior!" A thin warrior appeared, sporting a sickly-green chest plate, with long blue flags inserted into the shoulder pads.

Double Delta Warrior: Warrior-Type/WIND/Level 6/ATK 0/DEF 2200

"Double Delta Warrior can be Special Summoned from my hand if all the monsters currently in play are on your field," Matt explained. "Its only downside is that, if I use it as a Synchro Material Monster, I can't conduct my Battle Phase this turn."

Huang narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Interesting, but from what I saw in your last duel, you don't actually use Synchro Monsters."

"Correct," Matt replied. It didn't escape him that she was treating him with far more caution that she had done with Dan. "Next I Normal Summon Dododo Warrior!" A heavily-armoured warrior materialized, carrying a round shield and an oversized battle-axe.

Dododo Warrior: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 2300/DEF 900

"You're looking a little confused again," Matt observed. "Basically, I can choose to Normal Summon Dododo Warrior straight from my hand without making a Tribute, but if I do, then its ATK will be reduced to 1800." Sure enough, a large crack spread across the warrior's axe as its ATK dropped.

Dododo Warrior: ATK 2300 → 1800

"Now, Level six Dododo Warrior and Double Delta Warrior, Overlay!" The two warriors morphed into amorphous masses of orange and green light respectively, then shot upwards, away from the galaxy portal that opened beneath them. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" Both monsters spiralled down into the portal, which erupted with light. "Rise up! **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**!"

As a dark red fifty-one etched itself onto the back of Matt's right hand, a dull black sphere of metal rose out of the residue, with wicked-looking spikes protruding from the sides. Streaks of red shot across the sphere, etching intricate patterns into its surface, and with a grinding noise, the sphere began to separate along them. Slowly, the sphere changed its shape - separating, reconnecting, and slowly changing - into the likeness of a warrior in pitch black armour. It wore no helmet, and was outlined with a red glow, which only made it look darker. The fearsome spikes were now attached to its shoulders, which gave its armour a fierce appearance. The warrior stretched out its arms, its blood-red cape billowing out behind it, then reached behind it and drew its sword with a cry of war. The sword was split at the handle, so it appeared as two blades running up from the hilt. The blade itself was covered with runes, and the red number fifty-one was visible on the front of the monster's right shoulder. Its two purple Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

Huang suddenly seemed much less sure of herself. She took a step back, fearfully keeping her eyes on the new monster. "Summoning that card so early... he really means business," she muttered to herself.

"Battle!" Matt declared. "Go, Dark Excalibur, attack Blue Thunder T-45!" The warrior shouldered its sword and charged forwards. It crossed the distance between the two monsters with a few quick steps, then launched itself into the air, towards the monster hovering above it. With one swift movement, it swung its sword up and sliced straight through the underside of the spaceship monster. Blue Thunder exploded violently the moment it was struck, showering Huang with burning debris.

**Huang LP:** 4000 → 2900

"Dark Excalibur's effect activates!" Matt shouted through the smoke. "If it destroys a monster by battle, I can detach one of its Overlay Units to have it attack again immediately!" With a gasp, Huang turned her gaze upwards. The trajectory of the Number's jump had brought it directly over her, and she watched in horror as it fell towards her, its sword shining red with the energy of the Overlay Unit it had just absorbed.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

With a flurry, the warrior brought its sword around once again and lashed out, smashing the flat of the blade into her shoulder. The force of the impact knocked her several feet to the side, where she lay, clutching her injured forearm and moaning in pain. Dark Excalibur landed nimbly where she had just been standing.

**Huang LP:** 2900 → 100

Matt nodded, satisfied. "I place one card face-down and end my turn." His set card appeared as Dark Excalibur returned to his field.

Huang took her time standing up. Her left arm felt like it was on fire. She rolled up her sleeve and examined the mottled bruises that had already sprung up. She glared at Matt and pointed to them. "Are you proud of that, jerk?" she shouted. "Does it make you feel big to hurt a girl like that? Do you-"

"Oh don't even start that," Matt interrupted. Huang's eyes widened in outrage. "The only reason I'm attacking you like this is so I can save you. I don't enjoy inflicting these injuries, but I sure as hell don't lose any sleep over it, since I know that it's for the greater good. And as far as my mission goes, gender doesn't make a shred of difference - my desire to save men and women from the Numbers is equally strong. If you're that annoyed with my chivalry, then think about it this way: I'm trying to defeat you fast so that I can save you fast." Huang glared at him, untold fury in her eyes. Matt ignored her and continued. "Besides, if you had Summoned your Number first, you would inflict exactly the same injuries on me tenfold, wouldn't you?"

"You deserve it," Huang retorted. "You hurt Feng, so you deserve to be hurt in return!"

"By that stretch of logic, you deserve those injuries for hurting Dan," Matt countered. She hesitated, unsure of how to respond to this. "Besides," Matt went on, "there are people out there who would literally tear your friend's soul apart to get to his Numbers. By those standards, I'd say he got off easy."

"Enough," Huang snapped, and Matt almost laughed at her. Her indignation at losing the argument couldn't be more obvious. "I didn't ask for your life story, I'm just here to duel!"

Matt glanced over his shoulder. _'Man, if only Leah was the one dueling this girl,' _he mused. _'She'd love to put this stuck-up feminist in her place.'_

"My turn, draw!" Huang was so cross that she forgot her pain. "I activate the effect of Thunder Dragon in my hand! By discarding it, I can add two more Thunder Dragons from my Deck to my hand!" Once again, she discarded a card in her hand, then replaced it with the two new cards from her Deck.

"AHA!" James cried out from the side-lines. "Polymerization! I'll bet she's going to use Polymerization now!"

And incredibly, James turned out to be bang on. "I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization!" Huang declared. The Spell Card appeared on her otherwise empty field.

Katie glanced at James, astonished. "How did you know that?"

James grinned. "Because that's exactly what I do. That, and it's one of the oldest Fusion techniques in the book."

Huang, meanwhile, was proceeding with her Fusion. "I fuse the two Thunder Dragons in my hand! Fusion Summon!" The two serpentine creatures briefly appeared, then burst into particles of light, which streamed into the Polymerization card. "Appear, Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!" The Spell blazed with light, and from within it emerged a giant orange dragon with two rounded heads, each one sporting a vicious-looking purple horn.

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon: Thunder-Type/Fusion/LIGHT/Level 7/ATK 2800/DEF 2100

Matt stared at the new arrival impassively. He knew perfectly well that it couldn't destroy Dark Excalibur, and he was also sure that she knew that. Which, in turn, lead him to assume that she wasn't finished.

He was right.

"I Normal Summon OToThunder!" A green-clad man appeared, with crackling electricity wreathed around his hair and both of his fists.

OToThunder: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 600

"Next I'll use OToThunder's effect!" Huang declared. "Once per turn, I can Normal Summon another Level four LIGHT Thunder-Type monster from my hand as an additional Normal Summon. So come on out, ONeThunder!" A young girl appeared beside the first monster, dressed in light red, but sporting the same electrical characteristics as the monster beside her, which seemed to be her father.

ONeThunder: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 900/DEF 400

"ONeThunder's effect activates!" Huang shouted. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can banish any Level 4 LIGHT Thunder-Type monster with 1600 or less from my Graveyard, then during the End Phase, I can add it back to my hand." She extracted Thunder Seahorse from her Graveyard and banished it.

"So are you going to Summon your Number now?" Matt asked impatiently.

"Don't interrupt me!" Huang snapped. "Level four OToThunder and ONeThunder, Overlay!" The two electrical family members took hold of each other's hands, then both turned fully yellow and shot up into the air. Beneath them, a simple, circular red portal opened. "I use these two Thunder-Type monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Material Monsters sailed into the portal, which exploded with light, the explosive residue crackling like electricity. "Appear, **Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**!" From within the portal appeared a yellow-skinned seahorse-shaped monster, with rectangular black scales covering the majority of its torso. Like the Fusion Monster before it, it also had two heads – two yellow ones with long narrow snouts. Yellow electricity grew from its heads like hair and fell thickly around its necks, resembling a pair of lion's manes.

**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse: Thunder-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 1700 – 2 OLU**

* * *

Author-made cards:

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

* * *

**Fun Fact #54: After the release of Thunder Dragon, Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, and Thunder Seahorse, it was only a matter of time until someone created this bicephalic electric _Hippocampus_.**

**Fun Fact #55: So, we promised you Thunderpuns, and Thunderpuns you shall have. The name for OToThunder is a direct play on words from the Japanese word 'Otō-san', meaning 'father'. The -san after the main body of the word is one of the many Japanese honorifics that follow most names or designations. Here, it serves the dual purpose of being an honorific, and sounding identical to the Japanese pronounciation of 'thunder' (_sanda_), since the Japanese language doesn't have a sound for "th-", and instead uses the "s-" sound to accomplish the same thing. ONeThunder also uses this same play on words for the word 'Onē-san', meaning 'older sister'. NOTE: The word 'Onē-san' is typically used to refer to an older sister, not a younger one. It is also occasionally used by a young person who looks up to an older girl as a sister.**

**Fun Fact #56: We weren't entirely sure what to call the front glassy part of Blue Thunder T-45. The most obvious choice was 'windscreen', but that doesn't really work, because a windscreen exists to protect the driver/pilot from wind. Blue Thunder is a spaceship. There's no wind in space.**

**Fun Fact #57: As many of you have probably noticed (and by many I mean three), we've recently revamped all of our old stories. We've corrected spelling/grammar/card text errors, updated the duel format to our current style (which meant inserting a ton of arrows), and adjusted pieces of text that we felt weren't working too well. I think we found all the errors, but if you find any others, please let us know.**

**Fun Fact #58: No, we're not bringing out a Christmas Special. We're nowhere near popular enough for that.**


	17. Reintegration 4

**Huang LP:** 100

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon: Thunder-Type/Fusion/LIGHT/Level 7/ATK 2800/DEF 2100

**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse: Thunder-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 1700 – 2 OLU**

**Matt LP:** 4000

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 1 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 1 set card

Dan was staring at the duel with wide eyes. "That's... they... are duels always this intense?"

"Oh definitely," Katie smiled. Then her voice took on a more serious note. "But not usually when Matt duels. He tends to duel more carefully and strategically, rather than throwing everything into his duels like this. From 4000 to 100 Life Points in one turn... to be honest, I've never seen anything like it."

"His dueling has a new edge to it," Leah said. The others looked at her. "Just look at him. His dueling has a real purpose to it; a real drive. He's not blindly following orders anymore. He really _wants_ to collect the Numbers."

They were all listening to her, of course, but listening wasn't all they were doing. They had started to notice something earlier, and were watching her every movement very carefully to see if they were right. They were.

Since the duel had started, Katie, James, and even Dan had all noticed a change in Leah. Her hands had stopped trembling, her demeanour seemed more complete, and her voice was stronger. She had even chosen to wish Matt luck at the start (although exactly what she had said to him was still a mystery to them). There was still plenty of pain in her eyes, but the duel was obviously doing her a world of good.

Matt, however, was oblivious. He was completely focussed on the new arrival. "**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**..." he muttered. "So what do you do?"

He didn't have to wait long to find out. "**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**'s effect activates!" Huang shouted. "Once per turn, I can detach one of its Overlay Units to negate the effects of all face-up non-Thunder-Type monsters on the field, like your Number!" One of the yellow orbs of light broke orbit and spiralled into one of the creature's mouths.

**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

The energy from the little yellow sphere coated the inside of the monster's snout, lighting it up like a miniature lantern. Beside it, the other head was bathed in the soft light, and had its eyes partially closed, as though it was basking in the setting sun.

Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, the head that had absorbed the Overlay Unit turned to face the left, then whipped across with blinding speed, tracing a huge arc from left to right. As if on cue, a stream of electrical energy emerged from the monster's snout, flung at the enemy Number with a prodigious speed. The Number had no time to dodge. With a crack like a whip, the scythe of energy struck the monster's chest and dissipated, leaving behind a current of electricity that immediately engulfed the Number. The warrior collapsed to its knees, helpless.

"Battle!" Huang cried. "Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack Dark Excalibur!" The bicephalic dragon snapped its jaws together with a savage enthusiasm, then charged straight at the fallen warrior. Without the Number's inbuilt protection, Dark Excalibur could do nothing to protect itself as the dragon fell on it. Both monsters succumbed to the resulting explosion.

"Well, that's a pain," Matt observed. Then, he gasped as a line of agony lanced through his arm, his Number's destruction translating as pain for him. "Gah..." he growled through gritted teeth, clutching his right hand. "Looks like I spoke too soon there..."

"Indeed," Huang agreed, before resuming her attacks. "And now, **Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**, attack him directly!" The double-headed seahorse put its heads together so that its snouts were almost touching, and between them they charged a sphere of lightning. With a high-pitched wail, the monster fired a beam of pure electric energy at the enemy hunter. Matt cried out and stumbled backwards as the bundled beam struck him.

**Matt LP:** 4000 → 1600

"**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**'s other effect activates!" Huang declared. "When this card deals you Battle Damage, I can add any monster with Thunder in its name, excluding a select few, from my Deck to my hand. I choose OKaThunder." She raised her hand, pre-empting her duel disk extracting the card for her. A second later, it did just that. "Now I place one card face-down and end my turn. Oh, and during my End Phase, the effect of ONeThunder resolves fully, returning my banished Thunder Seahorse to my hand."

Matt had just about regained his footing, and was beginning his turn even as Huang added the card to her hand. "My turn, draw! I activate the Trap Card, **Candlelight Beacon**!" His face-down card activated. "With this, I can add any Eoseuleum monster from my Deck to my hand, as long as I send one Spell Card from my Deck to the Graveyard afterwards. In this case, I'll add **Guardian of Eoseuleum – Koken** to my hand, then send **Candlelight Aura** from my Deck to the Graveyard."

Katie gasped as Matt extracted the cards from his Deck. "**Candlelight Aura**!" she exclaimed. "But that's..." she turned to Leah. "That's the Spell Card he used on you, isn't it?" Leah nodded in response.

"What're you two on about?" Dan asked, scratching his head in bemusement. "What is that card?"

Katie turned to him. "Let's just say..." she grinned, "...that this is where Matt's Deck really comes to life."

As if to prove her point, Matt made his next move. "I activate the effect of **Candlelight Aura** in my Graveyard!" A large, translucent image of the card appeared behind him. "If this card is in my Graveyard, I can discard one Eoseuleum monster from my hand to return this card from the Graveyard to my hand." He sent **Guardian of Eoseuleum – Koken** to his Graveyard, in exchange for the mysterious Spell Card.

Huang's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You... what're you up to?"

"Wait and see," Matt said simply. "Next I'll activate the effect of **Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa** in my hand." He plucked the card from his hand and flipped it around to show her. "If you control at least one monster but I don't control any monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand by banishing one Spell Card from your Graveyard."

"Well good luck with that," Huang snapped. "I haven't even used any Spell Cards this duel. I used **Thunder Collation** and Thunder Crash against your friend, but nothing against you."

Matt grinned. "So I guess we're just ignoring your Polymerization card, right?" Huang gasped as she remembered. She had Summoned Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon with Polymerization, and now that same Spell was being used to fuel her opponent's Summon. "Appear, **Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa**!" Matt declared. The Spell Card shot out of Huang's Graveyard, even as the black-armoured monster appeared. Its armour was basic and simplistic, and enclosed the warriors entire body in its pitch black sheets. Indeed, the only distinctive characteristic about it was the Eoseuleum's crest – an orange streak, styled after the flickering flame of a candle – printed onto the side of its neck.

**Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800**

"Now I'll Tribute Tsubasa, to Tribute Summon this!" Not three seconds after it appeared, the warrior dissipated into particles of light. "Appear, **Champion of Eoseuleum – Senshuken**!" The warrior that appeared this time was much bigger than the others, standing at least twice the size of Matt himself. Its armour was black like the others, but what really set it apart was its shoulder guards, which were triple-layered, with each layer tapering to a razor sharp point. These shoulder guards were so massive that they gave the monster a bulked up appearance that it could never have achieved without them. On the warrior's head sat a jagged crown made of obsidian, but rather than each spike on the crown being uniform, they were all different shapes and sizes, all waving and catching the light, so that it resembled a ring of black flames sitting on the warrior's head. The same orange streak, shaped like a flame, was emblazoned onto the front of this strange crown.

**Champion of Eoseuleum – Senshuken: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2900/DEF 2000**

Matt didn't waste any time admiring his new monster. "Now I activate the Sp-"

"Wait, stop right there!" Huang cried. "How did you Summon a Level eight monster with just one Tribute?"

"Because of its effect," Matt explained. He didn't particularly mind being interrupted; Number holders had a tendency to be quite vocal, so he'd gotten used to it. "This monster can be Tribute Summoned using just one monster as the Tribute, as long as that monster is an Eoseuleum monster."

Huang nodded slowly. Her earlier contempt had evaporated, and she was now treating Matt was a weariness that Matt sensed she reserved for only the fiercest of opponents. He took it as a compliment.

"Now then," Matt continued. "From my hand, _you_ activate the Spell Card, **Candlelight Aura**!" He held the Spell aloft.

Huang scowled. He had definitely said 'you activate', not 'I activate'. What was he on about now? She was about to point out his error, but suddenly reeled back as an explosive crack echoed from her own duel disk, accompanied by a flash of orange light. When both had faded away, she glanced down at her duel disk to check for any damage... and froze.

There was a card in her Spell & Trap Card Zone. A card that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. **Candlelight Aura**.

She stared at it for a few seconds, unable to comprehend what was going on. With a wild expression, she looked back at her opponent. Matt was still holding his arm aloft, but the Spell Card he'd activated had vanished from between his fingertips.

Matt lowered his arm and, preempting her questions, said, "I suppose you'd like to know what my Spell is doing on your duel disk, right?" She nodded impatiently. Matt smirked and went on. "Ok, then allow me to explain. **Candlelight Aura** is activated from my hand, but it activates as my opponent's card, and is placed in my opponent's Spell & Trap Card Zone during activation and resolution." He indicated her field, where the Spell Card had just appeared behind **Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**. "In essence, you are the card's activator, and you are the one who gets to apply its effect."

"And that effect would be?" Huang asked curtly.

"You have to target one face-up Eoseuleum monster on the field, and destroy it," Matt explained. He was doing his best to seem impassive, but on the inside he was feeling extremely satisfied with his move. _'This is just perfect,' _he thought. _'I've stringed her along and put her right in the middle of the trap. All she has to do now is set it off…'_

Off to the sides, Katie was adequately demonstrating how not to act impassive.

"This is brilliant!" she grinned, practically bouncing with glee. "He's got her right where he wants her."

Dan was clearly struggling to keep up with things. "Ok, so let me see if I've got this right. Matt has just Summoned a monster that could attack Huang's monster and wipe out the rest of her Life Points, but instead of attacking, he's just used a card that allows that Huang girl to annihilate the only monster he controls."

"Sounds about right," James replied.

Dan nodded slowly. "Ok then, new question. Why?"

And then, quite out of the blue, James lost it. He rounded on Dan and started shouting. "Dan, if you knew Matt, you'd understand!" he snapped, and Dan's eyes widened in shock. "If you had any idea who he is or how he plays, you'd understand! But of course, you've never met him, have you? You've never met any of us! To you, we're just strangers with strange ways of dueling! So why don't you stop asking questions and start trying to integrate yourself a little better, huh? Or perhaps you'd like to learn a bit more about our lives by passive observation and constant questions! Well, you want my opinion? Maybe you should remember your own damn life first!"

Leah recoiled as though she'd been stung. Katie gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth, appalled by her boyfriend's behaviour.

Dan, however, just stared at James. After his initial shock, he'd had listened to the rest of James' tirade with a deceptively calm expression, choosing not to interrupt. Now there was silence. Both boys were watching each other wearily. Neither of the girls were saying a word. Even the duel had stopped, with both duelists watching what was going on – Matt with concern, Huang with abject curiosity.

Then Dan spoke. His voice was still perfectly even, but his eyes were cold, and that betrayed his emotion more than anything else. "That was very rude of you, James," he said. "I'd like an apology, please."

James' eyes bulged with outrage. He opened his mouth to begin his tirade anew, but stopped dead as Leah took a step forward. Like Dan, she was staring at him, but her expression was neither calm nor restrained. It was apocalyptic. The fury in her eyes was like an intense heat, which promised destruction for everything within reach. She was literally shaking with rage. Watching her, Katie realised it was a minor miracle that James was still conscious.

Leah hadn't said a word. She didn't even make another move towards him. Her emotion was all that was needed to make James' realise that, if he made one more wrong move, he'd be the next one in hospital.

"I'm sorry Dan..." he muttered through gritted teeth.

Dan nodded. Katie let out a sigh of relief, glad that things hadn't escalated. Leah turned away. Her own anger had subsided, but now there were tears running down her cheeks again. She did her best to hide them: she hated people seeing her cry, and her friends had seen way too much of it these past few days.

Matt was seriously concerned. His teammates were fighting amongst themselves while he, their leader, was stuck in a duel, unable to help resolve things. He desperately wanted to go over, to comfort them, to be there for them, to play the leading role that they all clearly needed. But he couldn't bring himself to abandon his task.

Reluctantly, he got back to the task in hand. "Alright then, pick your target," he said. All his earlier enthusiasm had drained away.

"Well, if you insist," Huang said suspiciously. She had the distinct feeling that she was walking into a trap, but there was no way she could stop it. And even if there was, there's no way she would turn down a free monster destruction. "I target **Champion of Eoseuleum – Senshuken**!" she declared. The **Candlelight Aura** card on her field began to crackle with orange energy.

Matt responded the moment she'd finished speaking. "Senshuken's effect activates! When my opponent activates a Spell Card that targets monsters on the field or in the Graveyard, I can send one card from my hand to the Graveyard to negate that Spell Card's activation, then destroy it, along with every card you control." He discarded Dark Blade.

At that very moment, the **Candlelight Aura** card launched an orange ray of light at Matt's monster, and struck it right in the centre of the chest. The warrior struggled with it for a few brief seconds, pushing against it to keep it back. Finally, with a war cry, Senshuken's armour pulsed with black light, dissipating the beam in an instant. Then, with an authoritative wave if its hands, three bolts of pitch-black energy detached themselves from the warrior's arms and hovered beside it, just waiting for the command that would send them hurtling straight through all three of the girl's cards, to wipe her field clean.

* * *

Author-made cards:

Blader of Eoseuleum - Tsubasa  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800  
If your opponent controls a monster and you don't: You can target 1 Spell Card in your opponent's Graveyard; banish that target, then Special Summon this card from your hand. This card is unaffected by Spell effects.

Champion of Eoseuleum - Senshuken  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2900/DEF 2000  
Cannot be Special Summoned. You can Tribute Summon this card by Tributing 1 "Eoseuleum" monster you control. When your opponent activates a Spell Card that targets a monster(s) on the field or in the Graveyard: You can send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard; negate that activation, and if you do, destroy all cards your opponent controls. You can only use this effect of "Champion of Eoseuleum - Senshuken" once per turn.

Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse  
Thunder-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 1700  
2 Level 4 Thunder-Type monsters  
Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; the effects of all currently face-up non-Thunder-Type monsters on the field are negated. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: Add 1 "Thunder" monster (except "Sanga of the Thunder", "The Immortal of Thunder", "Thunder King Rai-Oh", "Thunder Nyan Nyan", "Zaborg the Thunder Monarch", "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder" or "Mist Valley Thunderbird") from your Deck to your hand.

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

Candlelight Aura  
Spell Card  
This card is activated as your opponent's card, and is placed from your hand into your opponent's Spell & Trap Card Zone. Target 1 face-up "Eoseuleum" monster on the field; destroy that target. Each player can only activate 1 "Candlelight Aura" per turn. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can discard 1 "Eoseuleum" monster; add this card from your Graveyard to your hand.

Candlelight Beacon  
Trap Card  
Add 1 "Eoseuleum" monster from your Deck to your hand, then send 1 Spell Card from your Deck to the Graveyard.

* * *

**Fun Fact #59: For those who have forgotten, 'Eoseuleum' is a Korean word meaning 'twilight'. No, it has nothing to do with those films.**

**Fun Fact #60: Here's a funny story. There were actually loads of vampires on the loose over Christmas. Seeking refuge from the cold, they took shelter in people's living rooms. Rather than being frightened or annoyed, however, these people actually welcomed the vampires into their home. They had the vampire stand in the living room, put a star on their head, and called them a 'Christmas tree'. Kudos if you get that joke.  
**

**Fun Fact #61: Yep, James' rage is back, for a whole bunch of different reasons this time.**

**Fun Fact #62: Yep, Candlelight Aura is back, for much the same reasons as last time.**

**Fun Fact #63: Well, the 21st December 2012 has been and gone, and it looks like the world didn't end after all. Big shocker. Don't worry, give us until the end of next year, and we'll be sure to fix that...**


	18. Reintegration 5

**Huang LP:** 100

**Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse: Thunder-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 1700 – 1 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: **Candlelight Aura**, 1 set card

**Matt LP:** 1600

**Champion of Eoseuleum – Senshuken: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2900/DEF 2000**

Huang glared at Matt, unrestrained malice dripping from her eyes. "You set me up," she growled.

"Yes," Matt replied flatly.

"It's a good effort, I'll give you that much," she relented. "Too bad it's all for naught! I activate the Trap Card, **Paralysis Wave**!" Her face-down card sitting next to **Candlelight Aura** activated. "With this card, I Tribute one Thunder-Type monster I control to negate the effects of all face-up non-Thunder-Type monsters on the field, and switch them all to Defence Position! I'll Tribute **Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse**!" At her command, the bicephalic creature was absorbed into the Trap Card as one massive stream of electrical energy. Its last remaining Overlay Unit, now useless, dissipated. Then, the Trap Card seemed to explode outwards, sending a crackling wave of energy across the field like a ripple in a pond. The wave passed straight through Senshuken, and suddenly the monster was paralysed as waves of static current coursed through its body. The warrior collapsed onto one knee, helpless and immobilised, and the attack it had been preparing faded into nothingness as its effect was negated.

Matt seemed unperturbed, if slightly disappointed. "Hmm... well, I suppose I got rid of the Xyz Monster, just not in the way I would've liked," he muttered.

His opponent, on the other hand, was grinning wickedly. "Pay attention kid, we're still in the middle of resolving a chain," she called. Matt nodded and prepared himself for what was about to happen. Huang raised her hand. "Since Senshuken's effect was negated, the effect of **Candlelight Aura** successfully resolves, destroying the targeted monster!" The Spell Card, which had been charging energy all this time, fired a blast of orange energy at Matt's monster. Still immobilised by the effects of the Trap Card, the warrior could only cry out helplessly as the orange blast annihilated it. Huang nodded in satisfaction. "Looks like your grand plan backfired," she taunted. "In your ignorance, you forgot all about my face-down card, didn't y-"

"Don't confuse ignorance with patience," Matt warned her. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn." His set cards materialized on his otherwise empty field.

"My turn, draw!" If the girl was annoyed at being interrupted, she didn't show it, but instead got straight on with her move. "I Normal Summon OToThunder!" The electrified, father-like figure from earlier in the duel appeared once again.

OToThunder: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1300/DEF 600

"Then I'll activate its effect," she declared. "Once per turn, this card lets me Summon one Level four LIGHT Thunder-Type monster from my hand as an additional Normal Summon. So come on out, OKaThunder!" A woman appeared standing next to the green-clad man. Her outfit was red and orange, but she sported the same electrified hair and fists as her husband did.

OKaThunder: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 700

"And now OKaThunder's effect activates!" Huang called. "This effect is identical to OToThunder, in that it lets me Summon another Level four LIGHT Thunder-Type monster from my hand as an additional Normal Summon." She grinned widely. "And the best thing about this effect is that it's pure Ignition, rather than Continuous or Lingering, meaning the effects can stack! So using this effect, I Normal Summon **Spark Knight**!" A warrior in dark yellow armour took to the field with a shout, streaks of electricity running up its blade.

**Spark Knight: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000**

"And the stacking continues! **Spark Knight**'s effect activates!" The glowing number thirty had appeared on the back of her right hand, and was flashing and flickering in time with her words. Matt knew exactly what it meant, and was immediately on guard. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon any Level four or lower Thunder-Type monster from my hand in face-up Defence Position. Appear, Thunder Seahorse!" The yellow-skinned seahorse, wrapped in dark blue armour, appeared in Huang's line of monsters.

Thunder Seahorse: Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1200

"And now the moment of reckoning, kid!" Huang shouted. "Level four OToThunder, OKaThunder, **Spark Knight**, and Thunder Seahorse, Overlay!" All four monsters lit up a bright yellow and shot into the sky. Where they had been standing, a galaxy-shaped portal opened up. "I use these four Thunder-Type monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" One after the other, all four monsters spiralled down into the portal, which erupted upwards in a shower of black sparks. "Appear now! **Number 30: Pitch-Black Voltsmith, Kagenari**!

The dark purple number thirty flashed across the field above them, and from out of the portal's residue rose a colossal black anvil, wreathed in violet electricity. With a sound like a thunderclap, the anvil was cleaved in half and opened upwards, allowing a set of thick legs to dangle out. As the anvil opened up wider, more and more of the creature was able to extricate itself from its prison, until the being was able to burst out in its entirety. It was some sort of human blacksmith standing about twenty feet tall, with grey and withered skin, black overalls, and a great big bushy beard. The eyes that gazed through the forest of facial hair were old and wizened, but filled to the brim with malice. In one hand it carried an enormous hammer. In fact, the tool was so big that it even dwarfed the monster carrying it. The anvil that had been the monster's prison now sat on that same monster's shoulders, crudely imitating a set of shoulder guards. Four purple Overlay Units traced circles around the monster.

**Number 30: Pitch-Black Voltsmith, Kagenari: Thunder-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 2100 – 4 OLU**

Matt actually had to crane his head back to look at the thing. "Well, it's big, I'll give you that," he observed. "But as far as threatening goes, a tall human with a beard isn't exactly my definition of threatening."

He was trying to get a rise out of her, to try and make her slip up, but she was so pleased with herself for Summoning the Number that she didn't even notice. "Brace yourself, kid!" she declared. "Kagenari's effect activates! Once per turn, I can detach one of its Overlay Units to Special Summon any Thunder-Type monster from my Extra Deck in face-up Defence Position!" She sneered at Matt. "Imagine it, kid! Having instant access to any Fusion, Transformation, Synchro, or Xyz Monster in my entire Extra Deck, simply at the cost of an Overlay Unit!" As she revelled in the effect's implications, one of the purple orbs of light broke orbit and shot into the monster's hammer, coating it with violet sparks.

**Number 30: Pitch-Black Voltsmith, Kagenari: 4 **→ **3 OLU**

"And using this effect, I'll Special Summon this! Appear, Wattchimera!" The Number hoisted the hammer above its head, then brought it down onto the ground with an earth-shattering crash. Matt dropped onto on knee, unable to stay upright as the ground trembled. Behind him, his teammates were likewise unstable, clinging to each other for support.

As the quakes subsided, the Number pulled its hammer aside, leaving a huge crater where it had struck. Matt craned his head, trying to see all the way to the bottom. Then, quite without warning, a monster leapt out of the crater and landed on all fours next to its owner. It was lion-esque in appearance, but its skin was striped a vibrant blue and yellow colour. Its mane was blue and tinged with red towards the neck, and two golden wings extended from its back, curled around its body in a protective manner.

Wattchimera: Thunder-Type/Synchro/LIGHT/Level 6/ATK 1400/DEF 1200

Surprisingly, Matt found himself more wary of this new arrival than he had been of the Number. He'd run into the Watt monsters several times in his past duels, and not all of them used Synchro Monsters. But when they did, it almost always meant trouble.

"Fortunately for you, this monster has to be Summoned in Defence Position, so it can't attack you just yet," Huang went on. "Nevertheless, you know who can? If you guessed my Number, then you win! Kagenari, show him what he's won!" The Number once again raised the hammer up high, pointing it into the sky. A bolt of black lightning streaked down and struck the head of the hammer, wreathing the entire weapon with electrical energy. The monster stretched up into its toes, ready to deliver a single, fatal swing.

Matt responded with unerring confidence. "I activate the Trap Card, Call of the Haunted." One of his two set cards flipped up, and the enemy Number paused, still poised to bring its hammer down. "This card lets me revive a monster from my Graveyard. I choose **Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa**!" Matt could've chosen to revive his Number, which was stronger than the enemy Number. He could've chosen Dododo Warrior, which was weaker than the Number, but still stronger than the monster he'd chosen. Nevertheless, that was the choice he made, and a second later the armoured monster materialized on his field.

**Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800**

At that point, he paused, waiting for the inevitable shouts from his teammates. He was expecting to hear James telling him it was a stupid move, or Dan questioning his judgement much more politely, or one of the girls pointing out his alternate options.

Instead, he heard nothing.

He turned around.

The four Deltas were still there, but Matt could tell immediately that something was wrong. They were standing much more spread out from each other, all watching the duel with an unusual distance in their gaze. They weren't chatting amongst themselves, trying to work out what would happen next as they normally would. They weren't talking at all. They weren't even looking at each other.

Then Matt worked out what was happening, and it made his heart sink.

By erasing all of Dan's memories, Skyler had done a lot more that disintegrate the bond he shared with Leah. He had effectively wiped out a member of Team Delta, a member that they had all grown to know and love, and replaced him with a stranger. And that stranger was now expected to live up to a former person's life that he didn't even remember. Not only was it tough on him, but it was also damaging the bonds once shared between him and the other members of the team. Matt could practically see the bridges being burned, as his team fell apart before his eyes. And he couldn't do a thing about it.

Suddenly, Matt felt very tired. He didn't feel challenged or invigorated by this duel anymore, nor was the hunt giving him the motivation it once did. He'd had enough. He just wanted this duel to be over.

Huang had watched Matt's latest move, but she was too busy revelling in her own Number's power to see what an obvious trap it was. "I assume that you're using that thing as a meat-shield, to try and sponge up some of the Battle Damage, right?" Matt said nothing, and she took that to mean yes. "Hmph... pathetic! That won't keep you in the duel for any more than one extra turn. You know that, right?"

Again, Matt said nothing. He wondered how long she was going to keep on shouting before he could wrap this duel up and go home.

She scowled. "Fine, be that way! Since the number of monsters on your field has changed, I call a replay. Kagenari, attack Tsubasa!" With a triumphant shout, the Number brought its hammer down one more time.

Matt didn't even glance at the Number. Instead, he looked straight into the eyes of his opponent as he triggered his final set card. "I activate the Trap Card, **Candlelight Flare**." The face-down card lying next to Call of the Haunted activated, and began to shimmer as though caught in a heat haze. "This card is activated when you target an Eoseuleum monster I control for an attack. Then, this card destroys both battling monsters, and deals damage to each player equal to half the ATK of their respective destroyed monsters."

The hammer got no further. Without warning, the Trap Card exploded outwards in a blaze of all consuming fire, which rushed out to devour the monsters. Tsubasa silently disappeared amongst the flames, whereas the Number howled in agony and thrashed about, trying to extinguish itself as first its clothes, then its beard, caught alight. But despite being a Number, even it was vulnerable to simple card effects, and it too succumbed to the blaze. The ball of fire continued outwards and struck the two owners; first Matt, then Huang.

Huang screamed three times. First with dismay, as she lost her greatest monster. Second with agony, as her Number's destruction translated into pain for her. And finally with anguish, as the fires consumed her.

**Huang LP:** 100 → 0

**Matt LP:** 1600 → 600 [WINNER]

Matt ignored the victory claxon. He ignored the augmented reality as it descended around him, taking the remaining cards and smouldering embers with it. Instead, he just pointed wearily at Huang – who had collapsed onto the grass – and allowed the band to work its magic. Seconds later, his prize was sitting innocently in his palm. **Number 30: Pitch-Black Voltsmith, Kagenari**.

His task done, he pocketed the card and, leaving his opponent where she was, turned back to his teammates.

Again, their reactions – or rather lack of reaction – surprised him. There were no hugs, no high fives, no congratulations, no celebrations. Just sullen silence, and the briefest of smiles from Katie as he walked back to them.

He stopped in front of them, unsure of what to say. They simply stood there, eyes full of expectation, waiting to hear what he had to say. Several possible questions and motivational speeches occurred to him, but he knew it was useless. Bonds were fundamentally deep things. As such, the damage to their bonds ran far too severe to be cured by words alone.

Instead his just sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly.

"Let's just go home."

* * *

Author-made cards:

Spark Knight  
Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000  
Cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Thunder-Type monster from your hand in face-up Defence Position.

Blader of Eoseuleum - Tsubasa  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800  
If your opponent controls a monster and you don't: You can target 1 Spell Card in your opponent's Graveyard; banish that target, then Special Summon this card from your hand. This card is unaffected by Spell effects.

Twin-Headed Thunder Seahorse  
Thunder-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 1700  
2 Level 4 Thunder-Type monsters  
Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; the effects of all currently face-up non-Thunder-Type monsters on the field are negated. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: Add 1 "Thunder" monster (except "Sanga of the Thunder", "The Immortal of Thunder", "Thunder King Rai-Oh", "Thunder Nyan Nyan", "Zaborg the Thunder Monarch", "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder" or "Mist Valley Thunderbird") from your Deck to your hand.

Number 30: Pitch-Black Voltsmith, Kagenari  
Thunder-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 2100  
4 Level 4 Thunder-Type monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn: You can detach 1 or more Overlay Units from this card, then target 1 face-up Thunder-Type monster you control; that target's maximum number of attacks this turn is equal to the number to Overlay Units detached. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; Special Summon 1 Thunder-Type monster from your Extra Deck in face-up Defence Position.

Paralysis Wave  
Trap Card  
Tribute 1 face-up Thunder-Type monster you control; change all face-up non-Thunder-Type monsters on the field to Defence Position, and their effects are negated.

Candlelight Flare  
Trap Card  
When your opponent's monster targets a face-up "Eoseuleum" monster you control for an attack: Destroy both monsters, and if you do, each player takes damage equal to half the ATK of their respective destroyed monster.

* * *

**Fun Fact #64: Spark Knight was actually used a while ago. In the filler collection. By another Thunder-Type duelist. To perform an Xyz Summon. For a Number. Seriously, a card like Spark Knight would be a staple in most Thunder-Type Decks due to its high ATK and strong effect. Unfortunately, it's still inferior to Mahunder and Pahunder for three reasons. Firstly, it cannot be used for a Synchro Summon (so no Summoning Vylon Prism and Synchroing straight into Stardust). Secondly, it Summons the monster in Defence Position, which can slow down potential OTKs. Thirdly, it cannot be searched by Sangan or Thunder Seahorse.**

**Fun Fact #65: We really wanted to include Mega Thunderball in this story, partly because it's a member of the Thunder archetype and partly because... well... it's Mega Thunderball. What's not to love?**

**Fun Fact #66: The name Kagenari comes from a crude mashing together of the Japanese words 'Kage' (meaning shadow) and 'Kaminari' (meaning lightning).**

**Fun Fact #67: Yes, Huang did make a reference to something called a Transformation Monster. No, that isn't a mistake. No, that isn't something we made up. Transformation Monsters only existed in the GX manga, and they were all members of the Masked HERO archetype. A Transformation Summon is essentially performed as a Fusion Summon, and as such it requires a specific card (in this case, Mask Change), but it only uses 1 Material Monster rather than 2 or more. When the Transformation Monsters were released, they were changed into regular Fusion Monsters.**

**Fun Fact #68: On a totally unrelated note, I finished reading 'Oblivion' by Anthony Horowitz a few days ago. My review: it was a good book. Not even in the same star system as the previous book, 'Necropolis', but a good book nonetheless.  
**


End file.
